Jewel Andrew, 17 years of age, has been picked for the West Indies ODI team to play against Sri Lanka later this month. Here’s all you need to know about the talented youngster.
Who is Jewel Andrew?
Andrew is a wicketkeeper-batter from Antigua who has represented West Indies in age-group cricket, most notably at the 2024 U19 World Cup. He has also featured in the CPL and has now been picked for West Indies' tour of Sri Lanka, where he will feature in the ODI squad. A teenage prodigy, Andrew has been touted for big things for a while now.
Youngest CPL debutant ever
During the 2024 season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Andrew became the youngest-ever debutant in the tournament's histoy, playing for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the opening match of the season. He beat Nicholas Pooran, who debuted at the age of 17 years and 300 days.
Andrew didn’t take time to get things started, scoring an unbeaten 30-ball 50 at No.5 to take his team to a competitive 163-4. Though the match, which was decided off the last ball, didn't go in SKNP’s favour, Andrew’s enterprising knock was positive for the Falcons. In the process, he became the second-youngest to score a fifty in a major T20 tournament, at 17 years and 266 days, second to Riyan Parag, who achieved the feat for IPL side Rajasthan Royals, at 17 years and 175 days.
After a quiet outing against Guyana Amazon Warriors, Andrew scored 48 from 35 balls against Barbados Royals, but couldn't much else of note as his tournament ended with 128 runs from six knocks at an average of 25.60 and a strike rate of 111.30..
Nicholas Pooran smashed nine sixes in his brutal knock of 97 (43) in the CPL last night 💥
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 1, 2024
It saw him set a new world record, overtaking Chris Gayle ➡️ https://t.co/d1w8Td4oCW#CPL2024 pic.twitter.com/4qzxrNb5og
Success in formative years paying rich dividends
Andrew instant CPL success and the consequent national team call-up has come after years of graft in age-group cricket. The right-handed batter impressed with five successive hundreds in a schools’ league tournament and captained the Leeward Islands Under-15 team.
He shot to fame in the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa earlier this year, where he was the highest run-getter for the West Indies, with 207 runs at an average of 69 and a strike-rate of 109.52.
Additionally, having impressed in the Cool & Smooth T20 tournament in Antigua and Barbuda before the World Cup, with 323 runs in nine innings, at 40.38 and 110.62, Andrew was always on the radar of the CPL scouts and West Indies selectors.
The West Indies tour of Sri Lanka will include three T20Is and three ODIs, of which Andrew has been picked for the longer format. The three games will be played from October 20-27, with Shai Hope leading the side.
Here's West Indies' ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series:
Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Jewel Andrew, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr.
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