Big Story

Sherfane Rutherford and Powell among West Indies players awarded international contracts for 2025/26 season

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Former Test Captian Kraigg Brathwaite, Joshua Da Silva and Kavem Hodge have been left out of Cricket West Indies’ men’s annual retainer contracts for the 2025-26 season.

Meanwhile, Justin Greaves, Guyanese T20 Star Sherfane Rutherford and Jomel Warrican have been added to the 15-player list for the upcoming season.

In the women’s retainer list, Shamilia Connell, Cherry Ann Fraser, Chedean Nation and Rashada Williams have been left out, while Jannillea Glasgow and Shawnisha Hector have been added. The list for the women’s team has been trimmed down from 15 to 13 players.

Five players (three men and two women) were handed starter contracts, while 15 men and 14 women were also handed academy contracts. The contracts are set to commence from October 1, 2025.

West Indies men’s contracts 2025-26

Senior men: Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Jomel Warrican.

Starter contracts: Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Johann Layne.

Men’s academy: Ackeem Auguste, Ryan Bandoo, Jediah Blades, Rivaldo Clarke, Mavendra Dindyal, Giovonte Depeiza, Nathan Edward, Damel Evelyn, Amari Goodridge, Mbeki Joseph, Johann Layne, Zishan Motara, Kelvin Pittman, Renico Smith, Carlon Tuckett.

West Indies women’s contracts 2025-26:

Senior women: Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Hayley Matthews, Ashmini Munisar, Stafanie Taylor, Karishma Ramharack.

Starter contracts: Jahzara Claxton, Realeanna Grimmond.

Women’s academy: Abigail Bryce, Asabi Callender, NaiJanni Cumberbatch, Shabika Gajanbi, Brianna Harricharan, Trishan Holder, Djenaba Joseph, Nyia Latchman, Samara Ramnath, Amrita Ramtahal, Selena Ross, Shunelle Sawh, Steffie Soogrim, Kate Wilmott.

“Chasing 190-plus in that semi-final in India” – Russell rates 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final knock as best of his career

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WITH JUST two matches remaining in his storied international career, West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has singled out his match-winning knock in the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup semi-final against India as the proudest moment of his illustrious career.

Speaking in a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo and Cricket West Indies, ahead of Sunday night’s first T20 International against Australia at Sabina Park in Kingston, Russell reflected on the high-pressure chase in Mumbai, where he scored an unbeaten 43 off just 20 balls to carry the West Indies into the final.

Chasing 193 against the host nation in front of a partisan crowd at the Wankhede Stadium, the West Indies needed 77 runs off 41 balls when Russell walked in at No. 5.

“Definitely [my best moment was] the 2016 World Cup, that semi-final game against India where I brought the team home, me and Lendl Simmons, and obviously the start that we got from the other batters,” Russell said.

With nerves running high and the Indian fans roaring, Russell and Simmons kept their composure. It was Russell who delivered the knockout blow—smacking Virat Kohli over midwicket to seal the win with two balls to spare.

“Chasing 190-plus in that semi-final in India, with the crowd supporting India only, that was already a bit of pressure,” he recalled. “But the wicket was a very good wicket, so the confidence that we had in the changing room and the batters that were left to come, it gave me the freedom and the confidence to go out and play the role that I did.”

The West Indies went on to defeat England in a dramatic final in Kolkata—clinching their second T20 World Cup title in four years. Russell, a key contributor in both triumphs, said those victories will forever define his time in maroon.

“Obviously, two World Cups, it’s just a different emotion. You sleep, you wake up [on the morning after the final], and you realise you’ve only been sleeping for two hours, but you feel well-rested because you just want to see what’s going on on the internet, you want to see all of those memories and all of those good comments.”

“By just seeing the [social media] posts and seeing stuff going around on the internet, I get a bit emotional, to be honest, but, you know, decision already made, and I think I’ve done well enough to actually say, yes, that’s it for me towards international cricket.”

Russell will officially retire from international duty following the first two T20 Internationals against Australia on July 20 and 22, both to be played at Sabina Park, his home ground in Kingston, Jamaica.

“It’s a pretty good feeling,” he said. “I think, [from the] first time I came to Sabina Park as a kid, and then to actually walk on the grass and feel the atmosphere and look in the stands and everything, and [to] now, I’ve achieved so much out of cricket for the last couple of years. I did my best in every chance I got, representing West Indies.”

“I think it’s the perfect ground and the perfect series—against a good team as well, Australia—to end my international career.”

As he nears the end of a career that spanned 141 T20 Internationals for the West Indies, Russell’s legacy is etched not just in statistics, but in iconic moments—the biggest of them all, that unforgettable night in Mumbai.

“Some missed execution from our bowlers” – Hope laments execution failures as West Indies squander strong start in T20 loss to Australia

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Mitchell Owen shared an 80-run stand for the fifth wicket with fellow all-rounder Cameron Green, who made 51 off 26 balls, as the tourists chased 190 with seven balls to spare at Sabina Park.

West Indies captain Shai Hope admitted his side fell short with both bat and ball in a frustrating three-wicket loss to Australia in the opening T20 International at Sabina Park on Sunday night, after a promising start with the bat unravelled in the closing stages and a spirited Australian fightback turned the tide.

“We left ourselves 20 or 30 runs short in the back end,” Hope said after the match. “With the ball, we didn’t take as many wickets as we wanted to. We’ve got some very good batting in the lower order. Some missed execution [from our bowlers].”

Having posted 189 for 8, West Indies looked on course for a far bigger total at one stage. Powered by half-centuries from Roston Chase (60 off 32) and Hope himself (55 from 39), the home side cruised to 152 for 2 in the 15th over. Chase had dominated the middle overs with a flurry of boundaries, while Hope anchored confidently at the other end.

But a dramatic collapse followed. The home side lost six wickets for just 37 runs in the final five overs, a slide triggered by the dismissal of Chase and compounded by Australia’s superb death bowling. Ben Dwarshuis took 4 for 36, including three wickets in a single over, while Nathan Ellis kept things tight at the death with pinpoint slower balls and yorkers. West Indies managed just seven runs in the final 16 deliveries.

Despite the sub-200 total, the hosts had Australia in trouble early. Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder struck inside the powerplay, and when Gudakesh Motie removed Glenn Maxwell to leave the visitors 78 for 4, West Indies looked in control. But Australia’s middle order had other plans.

Cameron Green, in at No. 4, hammered 51 off 26 balls, and debutant Mitchell Owen added a fearless 50 from 27 balls—including six sixes—to seize control of the chase.

Together, they put on 80 from 40 deliveries to tip the match in Australia’s favour. Even after their dismissals, the visitors kept their nerve to reach the target with seven balls to spare.

In what proved to be a critical disparity, Australia out-hit West Indies 17 sixes to nine—an unusual reversal for a Caribbean side that once prided itself on outmuscling opponents in the shortest format.

While West Indies’ innings was built largely on calculated Strokeplay, Australia’s firepower through the middle and lower order proved decisive.

There was also a key moment in the field that might have changed the outcome. With Australia on 183 for 7 and needing just seven runs to win, substitute fielder Jewel Andrew dropped Sean Abbott at fine leg—a missed opportunity that came just before the winning runs were nudged home.

The result leaves West Indies trailing 0–1 in the five-match series, with the second T20I set for Tuesday at the same venue. While there were positives to draw from strong top-order performances, Hope and his team will need to address their death-over frailties and sharpen their execution if they are to level the series.

‘Andre Russell’ eyes ‘perfect’ ending to decorated West Indies career

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This series marks the beginning of something – the build towards next year’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka – but the first two matches are also an ending: Andre Russell will retire from international cricket after the Jamaica leg of matches, another member of the powerhouse West Indies T20 era who has called time.

Russell was part of both the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cup triumphs for West Indies, one of finest hours coming in the latter of those when he made vital runs against India and claimed nine wickets in the tournament.

It took a while for Russell to click in T20Is: until the end of 2015 he averaged 11.52 with the bat (strike-rate 122.01) and 48.90 with the ball from 33 matches. Since then, in 49 matches, he has averaged 28.63 with a strike-rate of 177.11 and claimed 50 wickets at 26.56.

But he won’t be around for an attempt at a third World Cup title, instead opting to bow out on his home ground at Sabina Park where he can expect a hero’s welcome over the next few days.

For two matches, Russell will be part of a West Indies’ batting order that, on paper, looks more formidable than the Test line up that recently crumbled for 27 albeit they are also without Nicholas Pooran who recently ended his international career. However, they have won just two of their last 16 T20Is including 3-0 sweeps against Bangladesh and England.

Meanwhile, Australia have been light on T20s since the last World Cup with just nine schedule matches (one of which against England was abandoned) but this series begins a run of 16 fixtures leading into the next edition.

This isn’t a full-strength squad with Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc rested – all of whom will likely feature in the World Cup – but it retains many of the key T20 personnel and is an important opportunity for captain Mitchell Marsh to bring the side together.

In the spotlight: Evin Lewis and Mitchell Owen

Moving away from Russell for a moment, Evin Lewis will have some fond memories of Sabina Park. In the only other T20I he has played at the venue he hammered 125 not out off 62 balls against India in 2017.

His most recent T20I innings brought 91 off 44 balls against Ireland. In four matches against Australia, which all came in 2021, he has made 139 runs at a strike-rate of 182.89 – his highest against any side he has faced more than once.

Mitchell Owen may not get his chance straightaway but there will be a lot of interest in how he performs following a standout BBL last season which included his breathtaking century in the final.

There is a squeeze for batting spots at the top of the order so it may be he needs to find a home lower order.

“It’s probably a little bit of a vibe,” Owen said. “Just looking at the top order and the talent and the skill and the experience that we have there. If I get given an opportunity, I don’t really care where it is. I’m just happy to be playing for this team.”

Squad news: Chance for debuts on both sides

Jewel Andrew and Jediah Blades are uncapped at T20I level while Matthew Forde will become Russell’s replacement.

Seven members of the squad have been playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Global Super League, the final of which only finished on Friday night, and it’s understood their journey to Jamaica may involve a private jet so they can reach on Saturday.

West Indies squad: Shai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

Australia will likely try various combinations during the series as they assess options for the T20 World Cup. There is a chance that Glenn Maxwell and Tim David could swap roles in the order with the former becoming a finisher. Spencer Johnson was originally in the squad but has been withdrawn with a back problem.

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

Nicholas Pooran Names the Greatest T20 Player of All-Time – Check Here!

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Nicholas Pooran

Former West Indies white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran, named him the greatest T20 player of all time. There the former captain named the devastating West Indies player Chris Gayle.

Pooran said, “For me, Gayle is the greatest T20 player who has played the game.”

“When Chris is batting, you always have a chance of winning the game. Once he is there, it is a different mood in the camp obviously. He started off slowly, but he had not played cricket for a long time…He has shown once more why he is the greatest T20 batsman. It is wonderful to see him get runs.”

Chris Gayle has been a successful player for the West Indies in all forms of cricket but is known to many as a devastating opener in the shorter format. That is why he has the highest value in various franchises around the world.

The Jamaican, the world’s highest T20 run-scorer, has scored 14,562 runs in 463 T20 matches with 22 centuries and 88 fifties at an average of over 35.

Apart from that, he has scored 7214 runs in 103 international test matches and 10480 runs in 301 one-day international matches.

“He Brings Stability” – Sir Viv Believes Chase As Test Captain Is ‘Not a Bad Choice’

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Legendary West Indies batsman and former captain, Sir Vivian Richards, has described newly appointed Test captain Roston Chase as a “smart leader” and believes that once given a fair opportunity he could bring stability to the struggling squad.

“I guess he would be the right choice at this point. I believe he is a much better player in that particular format and he would have had the experience of playing before and, with what’s presently there, I don’t think it’s a bad choice. I think he is a smart cricketer and he might bring something totally different, and,with the results he [has had], I don’t think a lot of people expected him — especially with some of the tournaments he [has] played in — to be successful and he would have done so. So he brings some sort of stability in terms of what we know he can do when he performs,” he said.

Cricket West Indies (CWI), on May 16, appointed the Barbados national as captain of the senior men’s Test team following weeks of speculation as to who would take up the role left vacant following the resignation of Kraigg Brathwaite in March. Chase’s last Test was against South Africa in March, 2023.

Sir Viv, who amassed 8,540 runs from 121 Tests, added that it must however be a complete team effort.

“It’s nice to know you’d want some commitment from the guys but there are a lot of players there who are playing for their careers and by giving your all in terms of what you are capable of, that’s a good support for the captain and so I am hoping that’s the case. Everyone should be looking to perform so if you have everyone performing on the same level and being successful then it can only make the team better so they have that obligation to themselves personally,” he said.

According to a CWI release, six players were a part of the screening process from which Captain Chase and Vice Captain Jomel Warrican were selected for the upcoming home series against Australia in June. The CWI Board unanimously approved the appointments.

Keacy Carty opens up about transformation in his white-ball game – “I would definitely credit it to my preparation”

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West Indies batsman Keacy Carty should have been basking in the full glory of his third and second consecutive One Day International (ODI) hundred as West Indies post a mammoth 385-7 in a bid to level the series against Ireland in Dublin.

Having lost the first ODI and with the second encounter getting washed out, it was a must-win encounter for West Indies, and they ended up hammering 385/7 in 50 overs.

Keacy Carty smoked 170 off 142 deliveries – the joint-sixth highest for West Indies in ODIs. Meanwhile, Shai Hope (75-ball 75) and Justin Greaves (23-ball 50) also slammed fifties.

His previous hundred, an unbeaten 128 against England in Barbados, is part of a high point in Carty’s growing ODI career. But this latest innings, though statistically impressive, left something to be desired emotionally.

In Friday Carty said post-match

The West Indies entered the second ODI eager to respond after a lacklustre performance with the bat in the series opener, which they lost by 124 runs. Carty said the team regrouped quickly and made necessary adjustments.

“We planned on how to counteract what they were doing to us, for our respective skills as batters. Everyone plays differently, so we had a few methods that we went through in training to see what works best for who, and we applied that today (Friday),” he explained.

Carty’s measured start gave way to a more aggressive display once he reached his half-century. His ability to change gears mid-innings was evident and instrumental to building momentum.

“We all know it’s difficult to start, so the toughest thing is just to try and get in and then excel in your innings. I would have liked to push on a bit earlier, but it’s a tough pitch, so you just had to stick with it and trust your skills,” Carty shared.

Interestingly, Carty’s form in ODIs has been one of the few consistent pillars in an otherwise unpredictable West Indies setup.

He finished 2024 as one of the team’s leading ODI run scorers with 560 runs, and he has already started 2025 with another milestone knock.

“I would definitely credit it to my preparation,” he said when asked about the transformation in his white-ball game.

“I’m focusing on the key specifics that you need to excel in ODI cricket, both for myself and for the team, and just trusting the process,” he added.

Keacy Carty’s 170 Powers West Indies To Their Second Highest Score In ODI History

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In the third and final One-Day International (ODI) against Ireland in Dublin on May 25 (Sunday), West Indies posted their second-highest total in the 50-over format.

Having lost the first ODI and with the second encounter getting washed out, it was a must-win encounter for West Indies, and they ended up hammering 385/7 in 50 overs.

Keacy Carty smoked 170 off 142 deliveries – the joint-sixth highest for West Indies in ODIs. Meanwhile, Shai Hope (75-ball 75) and Justin Greaves (23-ball 50) also slammed fifties.

The Men in Maroon’s highest ODI total came against England in 2019, when they posted 389 at St George’s.

Highest totals by West Indies in ODIs

389 all-out vs England in St. George’s, 2019

385/7 vs Ireland in Dublin, 2025

381/3 vs Ireland in Dublin, 2019

374/6 vs Netherlands in Harare, 2023

West Indies’ Matthew Forde Smashes Joint-Fastest Fifty In ODI History

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Extraordinary scenes unfolded at Castle Avenue in Dublin as West Indies’ Matthew Forde smashed the fastest fifty in ODI history, equalling AB de Villiers as he got to the landmark in just 16 balls.

In the second ODI between West Indies and Ireland, Forde walked in with the side placed at 246/6 in 43.1 overs.

In one of the most extraordinary onslaughts in ODI history, the right-hander went 1 6 0 0 0 6 0 6 6 6 4 6 1 0 6 6 off his first 16 balls to notch up the joint-fastest fifty in the format’s history.

Fastest fifty in ODIs

16 balls – AB de Villiers vs WI, Johannesburg, 2016

16 balls – Matthew Forde vs IRE, Dublin, 2025

17 balls – Sanath Jayasuriya vs PAK, Singapore, 1996

17 balls – Kusal Perera vs PAK, Pallekele, 2015

17 balls – Martin Guptill vs SL, Christchurch, 2015

Incredibly enough, by the time Forde departed (46.5 overs), West Indies’ score read 314/7.

On the day, Forde took a liking to Joshua Little, who he thumped for four sixes in a single over (45th over). Overall, the 23-year-old hammered eight sixes as 56 of his 58 runs on the day came through boundaries.

Thanks to Forde’s onslaught, the Windies ended up with 352/8 in their 50 overs.

Earlier, a century from Keacy Carty (102) set the platform for Forde and others to launch and put Ireland’s bowling to the sword.

“He is in and out of the side” – Sir Clive Lloyd calls decision to pick Chase as WI Test captain ‘odd’

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West Indies legend Sir Clive Lloyd said he was surprised by the decision to name Roston Chase as the new captain of the regional Test team.

Chase was named as the new skipper on May 16 as the replacement for Kraigg Brathwaite, who made the decision to step down from the position.

On May 20, speaking on the Mason and Guest Show in Barbados, Lloyd said that because Chase has not been a consistent member of the team over the years, he would have chosen someone else.

“He is in and out of the side,” Lloyd said.

“I thought the captain would have been a permanent member (of the side)…so it seems a bit odd.”

Lloyd had years of experience leading the regional team in the 1970s and 1980s, guiding the team in one of their most dominant periods. Chase was one of many players who were shortlisted. Jomel Warrican was named vice-captain.

The shortlisted players were John Campbell, Tevin Imlach, Joshua Da Silva, Justin Greaves, Chase and Warrican.