Athanaze and Carty to lead West Indies A in white-ball games against England Lions

With high-stakes international tournaments on the horizon, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the West Indies A squads for the upcoming home white-ball series against the visiting England Lions. Left-handed top-order batter Alick Athanaze will lead the side in the T20 matches, while Keacy Carty will take the reins for the five-match one-day series. The entire tour will be hosted in St Kitts and Nevis from November 1 to November 16, featuring three T20 fixtures followed immediately by five 50-over games. 50-Over Focus: Preparing for the World Cup Qualifier The selection of the 15-member one-day squad carries significant weight as the West Indies prepare for the critical ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, scheduled for February. CWI has explicitly stated that performance in this series will serve as the primary audition for players pushing to secure spots in both the Qualifier and the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. "The qualifier in February is the most important assignment of our 50-over year, and we are treating it that way," said CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe. "Our aim is to win it and take that form to the World Cup in October. These one-day matches are a big part of how we choose the players to do that, and the T20 matches start the work for 2028." Head coach Ottis Gibson has been tasked with providing player clarity and determining who is ready to transition to the senior international stage. T20 Strategy: Eye on 2028 While the 50-over matches focus on the immediate future, the 13-man T20 squad represents the long-term vision. Having already secured qualification for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup owing to their Super 8 finish at the 2026 tournament, the West Indies are using these three games against the Lions to identify emerging talent and establish roles for the next World Cup cycle. The T20 setup boasts international experience, with capped players including: Alick Athanaze (Captain) Jewel Andrew Vitel Lawes Quentin Sampson Kamil Pooran Key Squad Dynamics & Capped Stars The one-day side combines promising domestic talent with proven international experience. Alongside captain Keacy Carty, the squad features seasoned international performers: Oshane Thomas (Fast Bowler) Shamar Springer (All-Rounder) Kirk McKenzie (Batter) Kevlon Anderson (Batter) Jediah Blades (Left-arm Pacer) Alick Athanaze, Vitel Lawes, and Jewel Andrew Notable Selection Updates: Rivaldo Clarke’s Opportunity: Kevin Wickham was originally in line for a spot in the 50-over squad, but his senior call-up for the Test series in Bangladesh opened the door for West Indies Academy player Rivaldo Clarke. Mikyle Louis' Development Role: Top-order batter Mikyle Louis will join the squad as a "development attachment," spending time in the high-performance environment to refine his white-ball skills under coach Gibson. Complete Tour Squads West Indies A T20 Squad Alick Athanaze (Captain) Jewel Andrew Zachary Carter Shadrack Descarte Keon Gaston Karima Gore Joshua James Vitel Lawes Zishan Motara Jakeem Pollard Kamil Pooran Quentin Sampson Stewart Thompson West Indies A One-Day Squad Keacy Carty (Captain) Kevlon Anderson Jewel Andrew Alick Athanaze Jediah Blades Rivaldo Clarke Shadrack Descarte Jyd Goolie Vitel Lawes Kirk McKenzie Micah McKenzie Shaqkere Parris Jakeem Pollard Shamar Springer Oshane Thomas