Nicholas Pooran, who resigned as West Indies’ white-ball captain following the T20 World Cup last year, will be replaced by Shai Hope and Rovman Powell as the team’s captains for ODI and T20I cricket, respectively.
During the upcoming tour to South Africa, both men—who had previously served as vice-captains under Pooran—will assume leadership in their respective positions.
West Indies will have to win their spot at the ODI World Cup in India later this year via the international qualifier in Zimbabwe, which is planned for June-July, barring an unlikely sequence of results in the final few Super League matches. They are now ranked eighth on the table, well behind Afghanistan, who is ranked seventh.
Hope has been charged with leading West Indies to the World Cup. Shai Hope captained Barbados in the Regional Super50 last year. He has an exceptional career record in ODIs, averaging 48.95.
“It is a tremendous honor and privilege to be appointed captain of any West Indies team,”
Hope said.
“To lead a team that is of such incredible significance not only to myself and my teammates but to our legion of fans the world over, is something one dreams of as a child.
“The rich history and legacy that our region and our brand of cricket is so famous and loved for, requires no intricate explanation. I would like to thank CWI for entrusting me with this immense opportunity.
“To navigate West Indies cricket in the right direction will be my fundamental priority and a task that I shall be unwaveringly committed to. With the support of my team-mates and our dedicated fans, I look forward to a long and fulfilling tenure as captain of the West Indies One-Day International team.”
Rovman Powell has a lot of experience as a captain. In his third season as captain full-time, he guided the Jamaica Tallawahs to the CPL championship last year. In 2022, he also captained Jamaica to the Regional Super50 championship. In three ODIs and one T20I, he served as a reserve for the West Indies in the past.
“I’m truly humbled and grateful to be given this amazing opportunity to lead the West Indies,”
Powell said.
“For me, this a huge vote of confidence and I see this as the greatest honour of my career. To be asked to ‘carry the flag’ for the people of the Caribbean, there’s no bigger role in cricket in the region — a job previously held by some of the greatest servants of West Indies cricket.
“I also want to thank CWI for allowing me to guide the team in the coming years as we set sights on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which we will be jointly hosting with the USA next year. I’m a passionate cricketer who believes in leading from the front and always giving 100 percent.”
Before the white-ball matches begin, West Indies will play two Test matches in South Africa from February 28 to March 12 under the captaincy of Kraigg Brathwaite. Before the T20Is on March 25, 26, and 28, there will be three ODIs on March 16, 18, and 21.
