Johnson Charles Returns For Bangladesh T20I’s

Opening batsman Johnson Charles will be back in West Indies colours for the first time since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June, as he was on Thursday announced in the 15-man squad for the eagerly awaited CG United T20 International (T20I) home series against Bangladesh. Keacy Carty is also in line for his T20I debut.

The final series for the year on home soil will see the return of the experienced Charles, who has been sidelined for the past two series due to injury.

Charles led the Saint Lucia Kings to their maiden Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title in September, compiling 452 runs from 12 innings. It was the most prolific season for the 35-year-old since he helped the Barbados Tridents win the title in 2019.

Carty, meanwhile, also parlayed a strong domestic run into his first T20 International call-up. The 27-year-old from Sint Maarten made 246 runs at a 30.76 average in this year’s CPL. He also has four fifties and a 100 in 27 One Day International innings.

Head coach Daren Sammy welcomed the inclusion of Carty, whose maiden century against England in November, emphasising the importance of depth in the batting lineup for a competitive series.

“He has shown us that he could be a batter in that format, and playing against Bangladesh, a team we cannot take for granted, we need all hands-on deck,” Sammy said.

Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford will not be available for this series as they are fulfilling commitments in the Big Bash League. Akeal Hosein will also miss the final match of the series for similar reasons.

The team will be captained by Rovman Powell, with Brandon King as vice-captain. The series will be held from December 15-19, 2024, at the Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent & the Grenadines.

The squad was selected with a clear focus on continuity and preparation for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Sammy added: “The squad was carefully selected with the players available to us, and I believe this is our most settled squad with the experience needed to win championships.”

Sammy expressed the importance of closing the year on a high, particularly for fans in St Vincent & the Grenadines.

“We all would love to give the Caribbean people a good pre-Christmas gift by winning the series to close off the year, especially for the people of St Vincent & the Grenadines who didn’t get to see the West Indies team during the World Cup.”

West Indies CG United T20I Squad:

Rovman Powell (Captain)

Brandon King (Vice-Captain)

Keacy Carty

Johnson Charles

Roston Chase

Justin Greaves

Terrance Hinds

Akeal Hosein

Alzarri Joseph

Evin Lewis

Obed McCoy

Gudakesh Motie

Nicholas Pooran

Romario Shepherd

Shamar Springer

Team Management Unit (TMU):

Head Coach: Daren Sammy

Manager: Rawl Lewis

Assistant Coach (Bowling): James Franklin

Assistant Coach (Fielding): Rayon Griffith

Assistant Coach (Batting): Floyd Reifer

Physiotherapist: Denis Byam

Strength & Conditioning Coach: Ronald Rogers

Massage Therapist: Darc Browne

Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram

Media & Content Officer: Jerome Foster

West Indies vs Bangladesh CG United T20I Home Series Schedule:

1st T20I: 15 December 2024

2nd T20I: 17 December 2024

3rd T20I: 19 December 2024

Photo credit: Getty Images