West Indies 2019 Cricket World Cup squad: Key players, fixtures, prediction, odds and more

With pace, power and the experience of how to win international tournaments, the West Indies stand as good a chance as most sides of winning the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

There is also the chance for West Indies’ second highest ODI run-scorer, opener Chris Gayle, to bow out from 50-over format cricket as a champion.

Gayle’s player-of-the-series performance against England in the 2-2 series draw in February and March showed that the 39-year-old still has something to offer.

West Indies built on their short-form game after their quarter-final finish in 2015 by winning the 2016 T20 World Cup and the development is showing little sign of slowing down.

Despite the impressive strength in depth, West Indies have failed to win a one-day series in 19 completed attempts since beating Bangladesh in 2014.

Fixtures

• Vs Pakistan, Friday 31 May, Trent Bridge, Nottingham

• Vs Australia, Thursday 6 June, Trent Bridge, Nottingham

• Vs South Africa, Monday 10 June, Hampshire Bowl, Southampton

• Vs England, Friday 14 June, Hampshire Bowl, Southampton

• Vs Bangladesh, Monday 17 June, County Ground Taunton, Taunton

• Vs New Zealand, Saturday 22 June, Old Trafford, Manchester

• Vs India, Thursday 27 June, Old Trafford, Manchester

• Vs Sri Lanka, Monday 1 July, The Riverside Durham, Chester-le-Street

• Vs Afghanistan, Thursday 4 July, Headingley, Leeds

Squad

Jason Holder (capt), Fabian Allen, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope (wk), Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Nicholas Pooran, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas.

Key Players

Chris Gayle’s form may go a long way to deciding how they finish, but there is a chance that he may hinder them in close matches. The experienced opener frustrated home crowds when England were in town by neglecting chances to sneak extra runs by actually running between the wickets.

Kemar Roach was responsible for dismantling England’s top-order in the Test series earlier this year but was injured for the ODIs that followed. His consistent and ferocious bowling will be another exciting attrition to West Indies’ exciting artillery.

Captain

Jason Holder is not one for playing down expectations and wasted little time in backing up claims that West Indies can end 40 years of hurt since Clive Lloyd lifted the trophy in England.

Holder has overseen a change in the way the West Indies are talked about, taking them from a conversation about reminiscence of better days to a new and exciting side ready to make its own history.

Ones to watch

Shimron Hetmyer put together some impressive stands during England’s Test series in West Indies and followed it up with a stunning 104 off 83 deliveries to bring the hosts level in the ODI series with an innings comprised of a range of swashbuckling artistry. At 22, Hetmyer has shown there is a large reserve of raw talent to be unlocked, however there is no middle ground in his recent performances. The middle-order batsman is equally capable of quickly smashing a half-century then converting it without breaks stride as he is to wallow around 10 or 11.

Andre Russell is also worth keeping an eye on after being named in the squad despite playing just one ODI since 2015. The all-rounder arrives in England following his best season in the IPL, where he was named Most Valuable Player.

Odds to win

16/1

Prediction

The power and depth of this West Indies team is not to be underestimated and when everything is moving in the same direction there is little that can stop them. Catching them on an off-day is going to be their eventual downfall.