HIGHLIGHTS
- Brandon King leads the 16-member squad, with Shamar Joseph and Evin Lewis returning from injury.
- Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Sherfane Rutherford will miss the series due to SA20 commitments.
- Quentin Sampson earns a maiden international call-up.
- Jason Holder, Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd have been granted rest.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced its 16-member squad for the three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan, scheduled to be played at the Dubai Cricket International Stadium in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 19–22.
The series will serve as crucial preparation ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled to begin on February 6, with the final squad for this highly anticipated competition to be announced ahead of the three-match T20I series against South Africa set for January 27–31.
T20 Captain Shai Hope, along with established players Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Sherfane Rutherford were unavailable for selection due to commitments in the ongoing SA20 tournament.
In Hope’s absence, Brandon King has been appointed captain. King has previously led the West Indies in T20 Internationals, including during the home series against South Africa in early 2024, and brings valuable leadership experience into this assignment.
Shamar Joseph and Evin Lewis are back in action for this series, with both players successfully clearing return-to-play protocols after recovering from injuries sustained in previous series.
Alzarri Joseph, who was also sidelined by injury towards the end of 2025, had been making encouraging progress in his return-to-play programme but has not been included at this stage as a precaution following medical review.
He will continue to be monitored and assessed to determine his eligibility and potential selection for the World Cup squad. Quentin Sampson, the Breakout Player of the 2025 Caribbean Premier League, has earned his maiden international call-up.
He replaces Rovman Powell, who has been rested for the series alongside Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd as part of workload management.
Head Coach, Daren Sammy, noted that in addition to being utilized as a fine-tuning opportunity ahead of the ICC World Cup, this series facilitates the reintegration of key players coming off significant periods of absence.
“The opportunity to play competitive matches in subcontinental conditions is ideal, as it assists with our preparations and confidence building ahead of what will be a competitive T20 World Cup.”
“It also presents a valuable platform to assess players who would’ve missed significant time towards the end of 2025, as well as those stepping into important roles for this series, prior to the selection of the final squad for the international tournament.”
The squad will depart the Caribbean on January 14 and is scheduled to arrive in the UAE on January 16.
West Indies T20 Squad against Afghanistan
Brandon King (Captain)
Alick Athanaze
Keacy Carty
Johnson Charles
Matthew Forde
Justin Greaves
Shimron Hetmyer
Amir Jangoo
Shamar Joseph
Evin Lewis
Gudakesh Motie
Khary Pierre
Quentin Sampson
Jayden Seales
Ramon Simmonds
Shamar Springer
Team Management Unit
Rawl Lewis – Team Manager
Daren Sammy – Head Coach
Floyd Reifer – Assistant Coach (Batting)
Ravi Rampaul – Assistant Coach (Bowling)
Rayon Griffith – Assistant Coach (Fielding)
Physiotherapist: Dr Denis Byam
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Darc Browne
Massage Therapist: Fitzbert Alleyne
Performance Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram
Content & Media Officer: Jerome Foster
Full Tour Schedule:
1st T20I: 19th January 2026 @ Dubai, UAE
2nd T20I: 21st January 2026 @ Dubai, UAE
3rd T20I: 22nd January 2026 @ Dubai, UAE
