Shimron Hetmyer has come back to the West Indies‘ ODI squad again. The swashbuckling southpaw last played a 50-over match in December last year. Hetmyer isn’t even a main feature in the Windies T20I team anymore and has played just one international match in 2024. He comes in for Alick Athanaze, another talented southpaw who, despite promise, has yet to make himself home in international cricket.
Out-of-favour? Not so much
Hetmyer has often found himself at odds with Windies Cricket, especially after deliberately missing the T20 World Cup 2022 despite assuring the board that he’ll play. Earlier this year, he made himself available for the entire T20 World Cup 2024 at home, but all the batter got was one game.
However, this bodes well for him and the board. The Caribbean hasn’t been able to find an abundance of batting talent for some time now, and Hetmyer is clearly someone who belongs at the highest level. If he finds the motivation, he can prove to be deadly for any team.
Daren Sammy preparing for ODI World Cup 2027
“Playing against England always provides a new challenge and reignites a rivalry that the players and the people of the Caribbean are eager for. Somehow, we West Indies always find a way to raise our game when we face England.” West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said while naming the squad.
“This rivalry goes back for decades, and after defeating them last year at home for the first time in a long time in an ODI series, we’re ready to face the challenge of a strong England squad again. It’s always special to play at home, where the local support brings energy and passion to every match. With our sights set on qualifying for the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2027, we’ve selected a balanced squad that will no doubt push and compete with one of the best teams in the world,” Sammy added.
West Indies squad for England ODIs
Shai Hope (c), Jewel Andrew, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr
West Indies vs England ODI series schedule
- 1st ODI: 31 October, Antigua
- 2nd ODI: 2 November, Antigua
- 3rd ODI: 6 November, Barbados