West Indies name Sampson in T20 World Cup squad; Alzarri Joseph out injured
Cricket
The same West Indies side will be playing South Africa in a three-match series starting today (Tuesday).
JAMAICA (Web Desk) - West Indies have named batter Quentin Sampson in their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, while fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has missed out due to injury. The same side will be playing South Africa in a three-match series starting in Paarl today (Tuesday).
From the squad that co-hosted the previous T20 World Cup, in 2024, Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell among the big names who have retired from international cricket since. But West Indies still have the experience of Jason Holder and Johnson Charles to bank on. While Holder has played 86 T20Is, the upcoming T20 World Cup will be Charles' fifth for West Indies.
Charles and the current head coach Daren Sammy were part of West Indies' victorious campaign in India in 2016. Holder was also in the side that lifted the trophy ten years ago, but didn't get to play.
Apart from Pooran and Russell's absence, West Indies' squad for the 2026 edition wears a similar look to that from two years ago. The only surprise pick is Sampson, who made his T20I debut in the series against Afghanistan last week. He scored just 35 runs in three innings, but was selected on the back of a successful CPL for Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) in 2025.
The 25-year-old made his T20 debut in that competition, during which he scored 241 runs at a strike rate of 151.57 for runners-up GAW.
West Indies enter the T20I series against South Africa following a 2-1 loss against Afghanistan, during which several regulars like captain Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Sherfane Rutherford were absent due to their commitments in the SA20. After the opener in Paarl, the series moves to Centurion and Johannesburg, which will host the remaining two games on January 29 and 31, respectively.
Seven days later, West Indies will be in action at the T20 World Cup. They play Scotland in their first group game in Kolkata on the opening day of the tournament, before facing England (February 11), Nepal (February 15), and Italy (February 19).
West Indies squad for T20 World Cup 2026 and T20Is vs SA
Shai Hope (capt), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd
