Fresh from winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Mumbai Indians, Kieron Pollard has found himself back on the Windies team and has been included on the World Cup squad.
The hard-hitting all-rounder was a key player in his team’s effort towards winning the popular IPL. He now comes into the Windies team to bolster the middle order and general out-cricket for the Windies squad.
Guardian Media Sports understand that the selection panel headed by Jamaican Robert Haynes decided that the 32-year-old Pollard should be included to add that needed experience to the youthful West Indies team at this major event.
Yet another Trinidadian could find himself on the team, as sources told Guardian Media that they are awaiting a fitness report on one of the men originally selected on the team and if he can’t make it, another Trinidadian is on standby to get into the team.
Guardian Media further understands that this weekend all will be finalised by the board and made public.
Pollard has played 101 One Day Internationals, scoring 2,289 runs at an average of 25.71. The right-hander has three centuries and nine half-centuries and enjoys a strike rate of 92.89. In the bowling department, he has nabbed 50 wickets at 39.12 with an economy rate of 5.74.
Earlier, Haynes had said: “The 15-member squad includes nine players that will be making their first appearance in the global showpiece. Based on the new selection policy approach which allowed us to consider a number of players that have not regularly appeared in the side over the last two years, we had a wide base of talent from which to choose.
“There were a number of tough calls we had to make to settle on our squad of 15, including ensuring there was some continuity in the side, but we believe we have chosen a strong squad of players taking into consideration such factors as experience, fitness, team balance, current form and conditions.
“In keeping with tournament regulations, we submitted our squad prior to the deadline date. All players named for the Tri-Nations Series could, however, stake a claim to be in the final 15-member squad that will be submitted after the Tri-Series and before the final deadline next month.”
WINDIES FIRST SQUAD SUBMITTED TO ICC:
Jason Holder (c), Evin Lewis, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Nicholas Pooran, Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Fabien Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach, Ashley Nurse.