Reigning T20 Champions West Indies announced Squad for ICC Men’s T20 Championship 2021 have all movers and shakers. 

If just two of the players are on mood any given day they take any bowling attack to cleaners. So many power hitters and so many explosive batsmen. West Indians are the most sought after players in any T20 Franchise cricket anywhere of the cricket. With an eye on winning the  championship for the third time on a trot they called back all their experienced champion players on time and tuned them with matches at home against Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan. 

They are the defending world champions and  two-time winners of the ICC T20 World Cup, winning in 2012 against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa in Colombo then four years later in 2016 against England in Kolkata.  The West Indies now have the opportunity to create further history by becoming the first team to win a hat-trick of ICC T20 World Cup victories.  

West Indies Squad: 
Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran, Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Roston Chase, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Reserves: Darren Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein.
It could only fitting if management named Sir IVA Richards ( Smoking Joe) as the mentor of this team. 

The squad is so rich in quality and experiences that players like Jason Holder, Darren Bravo and Akeal Hossain had to be named as reserves. Any other team would have loved to name them in the main squad.

Elvin Lewis and Lendl Simmons/ Andre Fletcher on mood can blast any bowling attack. If one of them fails there would be Universe Boss CH Gayle entering the arena. Shimron Hetmeyer is equally explosive. What about Dwayne Bravo, Keiron Pollard and Andre Russell putting the icing on the cake? I can say for sure they can win third time but one or two teams would get the punishment for sure from this very powerful batting unit. 

Obed McCoy , Ravi Rampual ( another smart inclusion ) Oshan Thomas would handle the pace department . While Dwane Bravo , Andre Russel would follow up. Roston Chase, Fabian Allen and if required captain Pollard and Gayle can chip in with few overs. Sky is the limit of this explosive power packed West Indies team. 

Management has recalled experienced bowler Ravi Rampaul, a member of the 2012 winning World Cup squad, for the first time since 2015. All-rounder Roston Chase is called up to the West Indies T20I squad for the first time.

Roger Harper, CWI’s Lead S elector said: “The squad is one with good depth and strength in all departments. There is tremendous T20 experience along with World Cup winning experience which should stand the team in good stead. This squad is made up of many world-beating players, who once knitted into a world-beating team, will be extremely difficult to beat. I expect the team to do very well and with the ‘rub of the green’ I think the team has a good chance of defending the title.”

My money would be heavily on West Indies defending the title playing their Calypso brand of attractive cricket.

BDST: 1144 HRS, SEP 10, 2021