Evin Lewis recalled for West Indies for T20 World Cup

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (AP) — Opening batter Evin Lewis has been recalled for the first time since the 2021 Twenty20 World Cup and two uncapped players have been selected in the West Indies squad for this year's edition in Australia.

Team officials said Wednesday that right-arm leg-spinner allrounder Yannic Cariah and left-arm batting allrounder Raymon Reifer were the two new players on the side.

The West Indies are the only team to have won the T20 World Cup twice, in Sri Lanka in 2012 and in India in 2016. Australia is the defending champion after beating New Zealand by eight wickets in the final at Dubai last November.

West Indies must qualify for the Super 12 main phase of the tournament. The Caribbean side begins play on Oct. 17 when it takes on Scotland in first of three Group B qualifying matches at Bellerive Oval in Hobart, Tasmania.

They will face Zimbabwe on Oct. 19 and Ireland on Oct. 21 with the top two teams from Group B joining the Super 12s, along with the top two teams from Group A which features Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands and Namibia.

Nicholas Pooran leads the West Indies in his first World Cup as captain, with Rovman Powell as vice-captain.

“We have selected a mixture of youth and experience to represent the West Indies," lead selector Desmond Haynes said in a statement. “In the selection process, we have been cognizant of the ongoing CPL (Caribbean Premier League) and we have been looking at the players who have been playing very well. I said at the beginning of my tenure that I would be interested in giving players the opportunity and I think I have been consistent in doing that."

West Indies will play Australia in a two-match warm-up series on Oct. 5 on the Gold Coast and Oct. 7 at the Gabba in Brisbane.

___

West Indies squad: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Rovman Powell, Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith.

___

More AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports