West Indies Announce Squad for T20 World Cup 2026, Shai Hope Named Captain

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has named their team for the T20 World Cup 2026. Shai Hope will lead the side after missing the Afghanistan series because he was playing in the SA20 league. Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein, and Sherfane Rutherford, who were also playing in the South African league, have returned to the squad as well. Quentin Sampson has been persisted with, despite the 25-year-old scoring just 35 runs in 3 matches against Afghanistan.

Sampson had a great debut Caribbean Premier League season for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, scoring 241 runs in 9 matches at a strike rate of 151.57. Jason Holder, Rovman Powell, and Romario Shepherd, who hadn’t been part of the West Indies’ recent few series, have returned to the squad as well.

Alzarri Joseph, who has been dealing with an injury, hasn’t been selected. Evin Lewis has been ignored, and the veteran opener has hinted at international retirement following the T20 World Cup snub. Shimron Hetmyer, who returned to the national team in July last year and played against Afghanistan, will travel to India.

Brandon King and Johnson Charles are the other top-order batters picked. While Gudakesh Motie will be one of three spinners. Jayden Seales and Matthew Forde have made the cut as well.

West Indies squad: Shai Hope (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd