![West Indies squad vs AFG has been announced [Source: @windiescricket/X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768282177494_WIsquadforAFGT20Is.jpg?type=hq)
West Indies squad vs AFG has been announced [Source: @windiescricket/X]
On Tuesday, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced a formidable men's squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. This will serve as the final dress rehearsal of the West Indies cricket team for the T20 World Cup 2026, set to take place in India in February-March. Brandon King makes it into the team as the stand-in captain, while three prominent IPL 2026 players- MI's Sherfane Rutherford, CSK's Akeal Hosein and RCB's Romario Shepherd, have been excluded from the squad.
Brandon King to lead WI vs AFG; Hope, Holder, Shepherd miss out
Opening batter Brandon King's return to the helm is one of the biggest highlights of the West Indies T20I squad for the Afghanistan series. The experienced campaigner takes charge as the skipper, with regular captain Shai Hope missing out due to his SA20 commitments with the Pretoria Capitals.
It's worth mentioning that Brandon King has had an impressive captaincy stint, having remained undefeated across three T20Is. Apart from Shai Hope, spin bowling allrounders Roston Chase and Akeal Hosein as well as destructive middle order batter Sherfane Rutherford have also been excluded from the T20I squad due to their SA20 participation.
Similarly, pace-bowling allrounders Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd have been rested ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup edition. The same goes true for Rovman Powell, who has been replaced by Quentin Sampson.
Shamar Joseph and Evin Lewis return to WI squad after injury
The comeback of two key players- Shamar Joseph and Evin Lewis- has strengthened the West Indies ahead of their T20I series against Afghanistan. Joseph's proneness to injuries has sidelined him from multiple crucial assignments of late, while Evin Lewis missed West Indies' previous series due to an injury setback.
In 12 T20Is, Shamar has bagged 15 wickets at a strike rate of 16. On the other hand, Evin Lewis has been a vital cog in the West Indies' T20I setup, scoring 1782 runs across 64 T20I matches.
Charles, Forde, Greaves and Hetmyer to play vital roles for WI
In the absence of key players such as Holder, Shepherd, Hope and Powell, young left-handed batter Alick Athanaze is expected to spearhead the West Indies' batting unit alongside skipper Brandon King, Keacy Carty and veteran batter Johnson Charles. Meanwhile, the West Indies' bowling unit will be reliant on Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales and Shamar Springer to outclass the Afghans.
West Indies T20I squad for Afghanistan series
Brandon King (Captain), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Shimron Hetmyer, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales, Ramon Simmonds, Shamar Springer
West Indies vs Afghanistan T20I series schedule
- 1st T20I: 19th January 2026, Dubai, UAE
- 2nd T20I: 21st January 2026, Dubai, UAE
- 3rd T20I: 22nd January 2026, Dubai, UAE
Led by Brandon King, West Indies will cross swords against Afghanistan in three T20Is to prepare for the T20 World Cup. All three T20Is will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the UAE, providing both teams a golden opportunity to fine-tune their grey areas in subcontinent conditions.
