Cricket West Indies announces T20 squad for New Zealand Tour

Saint John's [Antigua and Barbuda], November 3 (ANI): Cricket West Indies has announced the squad for the five T20 Internationals against New Zealand scheduled for November 5 to November 13.

The Men in Maroon have left for New Zealand, following their T20 series triumph over Bangladesh. They will continue to fine-tune preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup in 2026, with the nucleus of the squad being retained from the previous series.

Matthew Forde, who suffered a shoulder injury in the summer, has been recalled after successfully completing the rehabilitation and return-to-play protocols process.

He will be joined by Shamar Springer, who has been included to bolster a seam bowling unit that has suffered several recent injuries, including those of Ramon Simmons and Jediah Blades, who have both been ruled out for this series.

Left-arm spinner, Gudakesh Motie, will also miss the series following a recent dip in form attributed primarily to a technical issue with his action. With conditions in New Zealand not expected to be as conducive to spin bowling, the opportunity will be taken for him to work with specialists, through collaboration with the Royals Sports Group - owners of the Paarl Royals franchise South Africa, prior to his participation in December's SA20 to address the issue and rebuild confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup, where he is expected to play a key role.

A significant addition has also been made to the management team, with Clinical Psychologist Krisnan Hurdle joining as Mental Skills and Performance Coach, effective with the New Zealand tour.

Plans for this appointment were first announced during CWI's Quarterly Media briefing held on October 1, after being identified as one of the immediate action items coming out of the emergency Cricket Strategy and Officiating Committee meeting held in August.

Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe explained that the appointment of Hurdle is a strategic move to align with global practices while enhancing output for our senior team in the international arena.

"The addition of a Mental Skills and Performance Coach reflects our commitment to developing the complete cricketer. At the elite level, success is as much about mindset and composure as it is about technical ability. Strengthening this area ensures that our players are provided with the necessary non-technical support geared towards equipping them to manage pressure and maintain focus."

West Indies T20 Squad: Shai Hope (Captain), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo, Brandon King, Khary Pierre, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer

Team Management Unit (TMU)

Head Coach: Daren Sammy

Manager: Rawl Lewis

Assistant Coach (Batting): Floyd Reifer

Assistant Coach (Bowling): Ravi Rampaul

Assistant Coach (Fielding): Rayon Griffith

Physiotherapist: Dr Denis Byam

Mental Skills/Performance Coach: Krisnan Hurdle

Strength and Conditioning Coach: Darc Browne

Massage Therapist: Fitzbert Alleyne

Performance Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram

Content and Media Officer: Jerome Foster

T20 Match Schedule

1st T20I: November 5 - Eden Park, Auckland @ 2:15am AST/1:15am in Jamaica

2nd T20I: November 6 - Eden Park, Auckland @ 2:15am AST/1:15am in Jamaica

3rd T20I: November 8 - Saxton Oval, Nelson @ 8:15pm AST/7:15pm in Jamaica

4th T20I: November 9 - Saxton Oval, Nelson @ 8:15pm AST/7pm in Jamaica

5th T20I: November 12 - University Oval, Dunedin @ 8:15pm AST/7:15pm in Jamaica.(ANI)

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