West Indies have officially announced their 15-man squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against South Africa, scheduled to be held at home. Rovman Powell will continue to lead the team, with Roston Chase appointed as his deputy.
Notably absent from the squad are three prominent players: allrounders Andre Russell and Jason Holder, along with fast bowler Alzarri Joseph. Russell, after participating in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, went on to compete in Major League Cricket in the USA and The Hundred tournament in England. Meanwhile, Holder, who was sidelined during the T20 World Cup due to injury, has recently played five consecutive Test matches for the West Indies against teams like England and South Africa.
According to a statement from Cricket West Indies, both players requested to be rested during this series. The release clarified: “Andre Russell requested a period of rest and recovery, as well as Jason Holder, who played five back-to-back Tests. During this period, they will work closely with the CWI science and medicine team.” Alzarri Joseph is also missing, having last represented the West Indies in a two-Test series against England in July.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy expressed confidence in the squad selected for the series and emphasised the importance of the upcoming fixtures for the team's future. "Facing a strong South Africa side is an excellent opportunity for our team to reset and refocus on our game plan," Sammy said. "We have played them recently and had mixed results, so this should be an exciting and important series. I’m confident in the squad we’ve selected, and with eyes already on the next T20 World Cup in 2026, I know the guys will be keen to show their hunger for success."
The full West Indies squad for the T20I series against South Africa is as follows:
- Rovman Powell (captain)
- Roston Chase (vice-captain)
- Alick Athanaze
- Fabian Allen
- Johnson Charles
- Matthew Forde
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Shai Hope
- Akeal Hosein
- Shamar Joseph
- Obed McCoy
- Gudakesh Motie
- Nicholas Pooran
- Sherfane Rutherford
- Romario Shepherd
This squad aims to build momentum and focus as they look ahead to future cricketing challenges.