Hope, Powell take charge as West Indies’ new white-ball captains

Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Wednesday announced Shai Hope as the new captain of the West Indies Men’s One-Day International (ODI) team and Rovman Powell as the new captain of the West Indies Men’s T20 International (T20I) team.

Hope, the wicketkeeper/batter, and Powell, the batting allrounder, and will take over from Nicholas Pooran, who stepped down from the positions last November following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

The first assignments for both captains will be the upcoming tour of South Africa in March where the West Indies face the Proteas in three ODIs and three T20Is from 16 to 28 March, following two matches in the ICC World Test Championship.

According to CWI, each captain will be heavily involved in strategy and planning leading up to the next ICC World Tournaments.

In ODI cricket, the West Indies are likely to need to qualify for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, with the qualifiers scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe in June.

In T20I cricket, the West Indies will be hosting the next ICC T20 World Cup with the USA in June 2024.

Hope is selected as ODI captain after demonstrating strong leadership on and off the field and experiencing the vice-captain role over a number of Series since 2019.

He became vice-captain for a second time in June 2022 and played his 100th ODI for the West Indies against India in July last year.

Hope has played 104 ODIs and was recently selected in the ICC ODI Team of the Year for 2022.

Hope said: “It is a tremendous honour and privilege to be appointed captain of any West Indies team. To lead a team that is of such incredible significance not only to myself and my teammates but to our legion of fans the world over, is something one dreams of as a child. The rich history and legacy that our region and our brand of cricket is so famous and loved for, requires no intricate explanation.

I would like to thank CWI for entrusting me with this immense opportunity. To navigate West Indies cricket in the right direction will be my fundamental priority and a task that I shall be unwaveringly committed to. With the support of my teammates and our dedicated fans, I look forward to a long and fulfilling tenure as captain of the West Indies One-Day International team.”

CWI’s Selection Panel recommended Powell as T20I captain, referencing his demonstrated leadership acumen and tactical ability when acting as the West Indies T20I vice-captain and as captain for Jamaica in 2022 with double success in both regional competitions.

He led Jamaica winning firstly the Caribbean Premier League with the Tallawahs in September before captaining the Jamaica Scorpions to the CG United Super50 Cup title in November.

Powell said:  “I’m truly humbled and grateful to be given this amazing opportunity to lead the West Indies. For me, this is a huge vote of confidence and I see this as the greatest honour of my career.

To be asked to ‘carry the flag’ for the people of the Caribbean, there’s no bigger role in cricket in the region — a job previously held by some of the greatest servants of West Indies cricket.

I also want to thank CWI for allowing me to guide the team in the coming years as we set sights on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which we will be jointly hosting with the USA next year.

I’m a passionate cricketer who believes in leading from the front and always giving 100 percent.” (CWI)

Match schedule in South Africa

21 to 24 February: vs South Africa Invitational XI at Willowmoore Park, Benoni

28 February to 4 March: 1st Test at SuperSport Park, Centurion

8-12 March: 2nd Test at the Wanderers, Johannesburg

Thursday, 16 March: 1st ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)

Saturday, 18 March: 2nd ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)

Tuesday, 21 March: 3rd ODI at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Saturday, 25 March: 1st T20Is at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sunday, 26 March: 2nd T20I at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Tuesday, 28 March: 3rd T20I at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (night)