Shimron Hetmyer has been recalled to the West Indies ODI side for the three-match series against England that is set to commence on Thursday (October 31).
Shimron Hetmyer recalled
The Guyanese batter played his last ODI against England in December 2023, and he will now replace Alick Athanaze for the upcoming series. This is the only change in the squad that played the away series against Sri Lanka earlier in the month.
Hetmyer has been in a rich vein of form, scoring 402 runs at an average of 40.20 and a strike rate of 185.25 in the Caribbean Premier League 2024. On the other hand, the going has been tough for Athanaze, scoring only 59 runs in his last five ODIs.
The first two matches will be held at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Thursday and Saturday (November 2), respectively. The final match will take place at Kensington Oval in Barbados on November 6.
Playing against England reignites rivalry: Sammy
West Indies head coach and former captain Daren Sammy shared his excitement of playing against the Three Lions. He believes that the Caribbean side always raise their game when they face England.
“Playing against England always provides a new challenge and reignites a rivalry that the players and the people of the Caribbean are eager for. Somehow, we West Indies always find a way to raise our game when we face England,” said Sammy, as quoted by Cricket West Indies.
“This rivalry goes back for decades, and after defeating them last year at home for the first time in a long time in an ODI series, we’re ready to face the challenge of a strong England squad again. It’s always special to play at home, where the local support brings energy and passion to every match. With our sights set on qualifying for the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2027, we’ve selected a balanced squad that will no doubt push and compete with one of the best teams in the world,” Sammy added.
West Indies ODI squad for England series
Shai Hope (c), Roston Chase, Jewel Andrew, Keacy Carty, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr.
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