Andre Russell returns to West Indies T20I squad for England series after absence of 2 years

Bridgetown, Dec 10 (IANS) Veteran fast-bowling all-rounder Andre Russell has made a return to the West Indies' T20I squad for the upcoming series against England, starting next week.

Russell is back in the West Indies’ set-up for the shortest format for the first time since the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.

The 35-year-old recently played for Deccan Gladiators in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, where his team lost to New York Strikers in the final of the competition on Saturday.

He will now join the West Indies team ahead of first T20I at Bridgetown on Tuesday and will run till December 21. Russell has been a member of West Indies team winning 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cups and has 67 T20I appearances.

All-rounder Matthew Forde has earned a maiden call-up to the T20I team on the back of ODI squad inclusion, while another all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford is also back in the scheme of things in the shortest format for the first time since 2020.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie also returns, so as Nicholas Pooran and Jason Holder, who had made themselves unavailable for ODI selection.

ODI skipper Shai Hope is the vice-captain in T20Is to skipper Rovman Powell, while Johnson Charles, Obed McCoy, Odean Smith and Oshane Thomas have been left out after being in squad for the series against India in August this year.

"This will be the final home T20I series for the West Indies in 2023, as they prepare to be one of the two host teams for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA in June 2024."

"We have selected a squad that we think gives us the best chance of success in that tournament. We will continue to assess in the lead up to the competition," said Desmond Haynes, the CWI men’s lead selector.

West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (captain), Shai Hope (vice-captain), Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd