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The Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel has cut talented batsman Shimron Hetmyer from its ICC T20 World Cup team, after the 25-year-old cricketer’s apparent reluctance to board a flight to Australia.
Hetmyer, according to a CWI press release, missed two flights to Australia and wore out the patience of the selectors. He was replaced in the squad by 34-year-old top-order batsman Shamarh Brooks.
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“This afternoon we informed the CWI Board of Directors that the Selection Panel had unanimously decided to replace Shimron Hetmyer with Shamarh Brooks in our T20 World Cup squad,” stated CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams. “Whilst we changed Shimron’s flight from Saturday to Monday due to family reasons, it was made clear to him that if there were any further delays and issues with his travel to Australia then we would have no choice but to replace him in the squad.
“We are not prepared to compromise the team’s ability to prepare for this extremely important global event.”
The West Indies play Australia in the first of a T20 International series on Wednesday.
Hetmyer, according to the CWI, failed to leave with the team on Saturday due to “personal reasons” and agreed to fly to Australia on Monday.
The CWI Media stated that “with flight availability a real challenge, a seat was found for [Hetmyer] to leave Guyana today”—only for the cricketer to allegedly inform Adams this morning that “he would not be able to get to the airport in time for his flight this afternoon to New York”.
The CWI selection panel, headed by Dr Desmond Haynes, hope that Brooks will be an adequate replacement.
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“Shamarh has been a part of our recent T20 International squads and delivered strong performances in the latter stages of the recently concluded CPL,” said Adams. “He will fly out as soon as possible this week to Australia and I wish him and all the squad all the very best for the Tournament.”
West Indies T20 World Cup squad: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Rovman Powell (vice-captain), Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Raymon Reifer, and Odean Smith.
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