WI vs SA: Senior Trio Missing As West Indies Announce Squad For T20I Series Against South Africa

Senior trio of Andre Russell, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph were among the players absent as West Indies announced their 15-member T20I squad for the upcoming series at home against South Africa.

After a 1-0 loss to South Africa in the ICC World Test Championship series, West Indies will hope to bounce back and aim to continue their good run in T20Is as they take on the Proteas.

Andre Russell rested for West Indies vs South Africa T20I series

West Indies have won four of their last five bilateral T20I series, and missed out on a place in the semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 at home after losing to South Africa in June.

Rovman Powell will continue to lead a strong West Indies outfit against South Africa in the three-match T20I series that begins in Trinidad from August 23. Roston Chase will serve as his deputy with Joseph, who was vice captain during the T20 World Cup, is believed to be rested.

"Facing a strong South Africa side is an excellent opportunity for our team to reset and refocus with our game plan," Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket at CWI, said as per ICC.

"We have played them recently and had mixed results, so this should be an exciting and important series. I'm confident in the squad we've selected, and with eyes already on the next T20 World Cup in 2026, I know the guys will be keen to show their hunger for success."

The squad is notably without senior all-rounders Russell and Holder. While Russell requested a period of rest and recovery, Holder has been rested following five back-to-back Tests against England and South Africa.

"Andre Russell requested a period of rest and recovery as well as Jason Holder who played five back-to-back five Tests against England and South Africa. During this period, they will work closely with the CWI science and medicine team," added Bascombe.

Apart from the trio of Russell, Holder and Joseph, Brandon King, who suffered a side strain during West Indies' Super Eight fixture in the T20 World Cup earlier this year against England, continues to be sidelined.

The squad is strengthened by the additions of Alick Athanaze, who shone in the Test series, and 22-year-old pacer Matthew Forde, who last played in the bilateral series against South Africa in May.

South Africa, the T20 World Cup runners up, also have added some new faces to their squad with big names, including David Miller, Quinton de Kock and Kagiso Rabada, missing for the series.

All the three matches of the series will be staged at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad & Tobago. Here is a look at the West Indies squad for the T20I series and the full schedule:

West Indies T20I squad vs South Africa

Rovman Powell (captain), Roston Chase (vice captain), Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Fabian Allen, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd.