Windies squad to face Bangladesh

By Dalchand Bissoon

The West Indies Cricket Board Selectors announced a 13-member squad for the first Dhaka Bank Test against Bangladesh which starts tomorrow at Arnos Vale Multiplex in St. Vincent.

The full squad: Denesh Ramdin (Captain) Sulieman Benn, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Shanon Gabriel, Christopher Gayle, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Shane Shillingford and Jeromme Taylor.

According to media reports, off-spinner Sunil Narine and allrounder Andre Russell were considered for selection for the first test but opted to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Champions League T20 in India.

The WICB in a statement said, “Two players who were considered for selection for the test squad have opted to play in the Champions League which has an ICC approved window on the international schedule. The players’ decisions will not have any deleterious effect on consideration for future West Indies selection.”

Apart from players in the Barbados Tridents squad that won the Caribbean Premier League, seven other West Indies players are representing IPL franchises in the Champions League. They are Narine, Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Lendi Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Smith and Samuel Badree.

The Barbados Tridents squad will include, Ravi Rampaul, Rayad Emrit, Rayman Reifer, Shane Dowrich, Ashley Nurse, Jonathan Carter, Kyle Mayers, William Perkins and a few overseas players.

Twelve teams will participate in the tournament with six qualifying matches which will be played from Sept. 13 to16, while the main leg will be from Sept.17 to Oct. 4, in Raipur, Mohali, Hyderabad and Bangalore.