Andre Russell: ‘I want to win another World Cup for West Indies’

Andre Russell has insisted he still wants to win “another World Cup – or two more – for West Indies” and that he still has ambitions to play international cricket.

Russell has not played for West Indies since the T20 World Cup in November 2021. Last week, he responded to head coach Phil Simmons’ suggestions that he should not be “begging” players to make themselves available for international cricket, writing “I know this was coming but am gonna stay quiet!!!” with four ‘angry’ emojis in a since-deleted Instagram post.

Russell, who is currently in England playing for Manchester Originals in the Hundred, was asked about his situation by Daren Sammy, the former West Indies captain, during Sky Sports’ build-up to their game against Welsh Fire on Tuesday night.

“I’m going to be quiet,” Russell said, “because at the end of the day, we had a discussion, and the discussion was very clear. So now, making me look bad, throwing me under the bus…I was expecting it. I’m going to stay quiet, Daren, to be honest.”

But Russell did respond when Sammy asked if he still wanted to play for West Indies, saying: “Of course, of course. The maroon is all over.

“Honestly, I have two franchise hundreds and I wish those hundreds were actually playing for West Indies. I don’t regret saying this just now. I really enjoyed playing for Jamaica Tallawahs but those two hundreds, it would be more special coming in international cricket.

“I always want to play and give back. But at the end of the day, if we are not agreeing on certain terms, you terms is my terms [sic], and they have to respect my terms as well. At the end of the day, it is what it is. We have families and we have to make sure that we give our best opportunity while we have one career.

“It’s not like I can start over again. I’m 34 and I want to win another World Cup – or two more – for West Indies because at the end of the day, I’m here now, and I’m just taking it day by day.”

Russell will leave the Hundred next week to play in the CPL for Trinbago Knight Riders, and Desmond Haynes, West Indies’ lead selector, has suggested that performances in that tournament will be a major factor in World Cup selection.

“If there is a competition that is run by the West Indies [and] somebody is playing well, I think his name should really come up for selection,” he said last week. (ESPNcricinfo)