THE Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel announced the West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 15-member squad and five reserves for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup to be played in the West Indies in January and February 2022.

The squad will be led by Ackeem Auguste, the left-handed middle-order batsman, with all-rounder Giovonte Depeiza as the vice captain. They were also at the helm during the six-match Youth One-Day International Series in England in September. The players were selected following the recent high performance camp and preparation matches which featured 28 players at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Trinidad and Tobago players Anderson Mahase and Shiva Sankar are on the 15-member squad. Vasant Singh, also from TT, is a reserve.

The West Indies Rising Stars Under 19s have been drawn in Group D alongside Australia, Scotland and Sri Lanka for the 16-team tournament which will be played from January 14-February 5. Matches will be played in Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, St Kitts/Nevis and Guyana.

Lead selector Robert Haynes said, “Overall, the selectors are very pleased with what we have been seeing from these players and we expect some very exciting cricket in the World Cup. The batting is solid, our concern coming out of the tour of England was the middle-order, but we saw some really good performances in the camp and some very good partnerships.

"The bowling is very good, and we think we have the right combination of spinners and fast bowlers. This is a balanced squad and the players are very excited. It is now for these youngsters to go out and put on display what they learned in the camps which were organised for their benefit.”

FULL SQUAD: Ackeem Auguste (captain, left-hand bat), Giovonte Depeiza (vice-captain, right-hand bat/left-arm spin), Onaje Amory (right-hand bat/right-arm off-spin), Teddy Bishop (right-hand bat), Carlon Bowen-Tuckett (right-hand bat/wicket-keeper), Jaden Carmichael (right-hand bat/left-arm spin), McKenny Clarke (right-hand bat/right-arm fast), Rivaldo Clarke (right-hand bat/wicket-keeper), Jordan Johnson (left-hand bat/right-arm leg-spin), Johann Layne (right-hand bat/right-arm fast), Anderson Mahase (left-hand bat/left-arm spin), Matthew Nandu (left-hand opening bat/right-arm leg-spin), Shaqkere Parris (right-hand opening bat), Shiva Sankar (right-hand bat/right-arm medium-fast), Isai Thorne (right-hand bat/right-arm fast).

RESERVES: Anderson Amurdan ( right-hand opening bat), Nathan Edward (left-hand bat/left-arm fast-medium), Andel Gordon (left-hand bat/left-arm medium-fast), Vasant Singh (right-hand bat/right-arm leg-spin), Kevin Wickham (right-hand bat/right-arm wrist-spin).

GROUPS –

Group A – Bangladesh, England, Canada, United Arab Emirates

Group B – India, Ireland, South Africa, Uganda

Group C – Afghanistan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe

Group D – Australia, Scotland, Sri Lanka, West Indies

VENUES

St Kitts and Nevis – Warner Park Cricket Stadium, Conaree Cricket Centre, (Sandy Point