Fast bowler Shamar Joseph and opener Evin Lewis have been drafted back into a 16-strong West Indies squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in Dubai, running from 19 to 22 January.
Captain Shai Hope is tied to the SA20 in South Africa, and that competition has also claimed Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Sherfane Rutherford. In Hope’s absence Brandon King will reprise leadership duties after standing in during the home series against South Africa last March.
A first call-up goes to 23-year-old Guyanese batter Quentin Sampson, rewarded for an eye-catching Caribbean Premier League campaign in which he struck 241 runs at a strike rate north of 150. His elevation allows the medical staff to rest Rovman Powell, Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd in line with the board’s workload plan.
Joseph’s return ends a quiet stretch dating back to September’s CPL. A shoulder flare-up kept the 26-year-old seamer out of the October Tests in India and the subsequent ODI tour of Bangladesh. He managed only five appearances for Guyana Amazon Warriors last term but remains highly regarded by the selectors.
Lewis is also back after a hamstring problem limited him to seven CPL innings. The left-hander then played the Abu Dhabi T10 in November, using the short tournament to rebuild rhythm. According to a Cricket West Indies medical update, both men have cleared their final fitness checks.
There is no place yet for Alzarri Joseph, who is rehabbing a stress injury picked up late last year. The board described his progress as “encouraging”, though further assessment is required before any decision on the T20 World Cup.
Head coach Darren Sammy views the Afghan series as essential preparation for that global event, which starts in June on Caribbean and US soil. “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,” Sammy said. “It also presents a valuable platform to assess players who missed significant time towards the end of 2025, as well as those stepping into important roles for this series.”
The squad departs the Caribbean on 14 January and is due in the UAE two days later. After facing Afghanistan, West Indies host South Africa in five T20Is from 27 to 31 January, at which point their provisional World Cup list must be lodged with the ICC.
West Indies squad
Brandon King (capt), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Shimron Hetmyer, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Quentin Sampson, plus three travelling reserves to be confirmed.
Fixtures (all in Dubai)
19 January – 1st T20I
20 January – 2nd T20I
22 January – 3rd T20I
With a blend of returning pace, fresh batting talent and a stand-in skipper keen to impress, the short series should offer selectors a final round of evidence before World Cup planning shifts into overdrive.
