Romario Shepherd returns, Alzarri rested as West Indies name squad for Pakistan ODIs
The squad once again features two young prospects — 23-year-old left-arm spinner Jediah Blades, who made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in December last year, and 18-year-old keeper-batter Jewel Andrew, who recently earned his maiden T20I cap in the just-concluded series against Pakistan.Shimron Hetmyer, despite impressive performances for Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket after the England tour, has not been included in the squad. Speaking on the upcoming series, head coach Daren Sammy highlighted the dual importance of immediate results and long-term development."Pakistan presents a different test and challenge as we continue our push for automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup," Sammy said. "While qualifying is our immediate goal, maintaining a winning mentality and team cohesion is essential for long-term success. "The upcoming matches against teams like Pakistan, who are ranked higher, provide crucial opportunities to earn valuable ranking points to improve our standing ahead of the World Cup."West Indies squad for Pakistan ODIs: Shai Hope (captain), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd.- Ends
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