West Indies bring back Darren Bravo for T20 World Cup

St. John’s (Antigua) : The return of left-handed stroke-maker Darren Bravo is the only difference in an otherwise predictable 15-man squad for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.

The stylish 23-year-old, who has not played for West Indies since limping out of the tour of England in June with a groin injury, joins the squad announced Wednesday with older brother Dwayne Bravo as skipper Darren Sammy’s deputy.

Exciting all-rounder Andre Russell has also been recalled after missing the T20 doubleheader against New Zealand in Florida through injury, reports CMC.

The right-armer, however, took ten wickets in the subsequent five-match one-day series and had unbeaten knocks of 59 and 42.

He will partner with Ravi Rampaul and Fidel Edwards to form the pace attack of which Sunil Narine is expected to be the mainstay with his beguiling off-spin.

Narine dominated the Florida T20s with seven wickets and then followed up with 13 in the one-day series against the Black Caps.

Leg-spinner and fellow Trinidadian Samuel Badree, who made his debut in the Florida doubleheader, is the other specialist spinner in the squad.

Meanwhile, flamboyant Chris Gayle will head the batting which also boasts IPL stars Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Smith.

West Indies are in Group B alongside Australia and Ireland, and are tipped to advance to the Super Eight second stage of the tournament, starting Sept 18. The final is on Oct 7.

The squad:

Darren Sammy (captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice captain), Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith.

–IANS/CMC