West Indies have refreshed their T20I squad, recalling Ackeem Auguste, Jewel Andrew and Shamar Springer for three matches against Sri Lanka at Sabina Park on 11, 13 and 14 June.
The trio step in for Johnson Charles, Quentin Sampson and Jayden Seales, who all featured at the recent T20 World Cup. Fast-bowler Alzarri Joseph is being rested as part of a workload plan designed to keep him fresh for the longer tour.
Auguste, 22, owns nine T20I caps and offers a left-hand option in the top order. Andrew, just 19, has five appearances and a reputation for clean striking, while all-rounder Springer – six caps to date – adds seam-bowling depth and late-order hitting.
Shamar Joseph, having left the one-day squad last week for personal reasons, is expected to link up with the group before the first match in Kingston.
Head coach Daren Sammy welcomed the chance to build on the World Cup campaign, saying: “This series is an important one for us as it’s our first since the World Cup in India, where the team played with passion, fight and the togetherness that West Indies cricket is built on. Our focus now is to build on those foundations, continue growing as a team and make our fans proud with the way we compete against Sri Lanka.”
Sri Lanka edged the ODI leg 1-0 after rain washed out two fixtures. Two Tests in Antigua will follow the T20Is, so managing workloads made sense for the hosts.
Squad in full: Shai Hope (capt.), Jewel Andrew, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer.
With a short turnaround, selection feels pragmatic rather than headline-grabbing, keeping one eye on immediate results and the other on a busy calendar ahead.
