Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran and Kyle Myers reject CWI central contracts

File photo of Jason Holder. AP

Jason Holder and Nicholas, former West Indies captains, along with Kyle Mayers, have declined Central Cricket West Indies (CWI) contracts for the 2023-24 season, the board announced in a statement on Sunday. The trio will remain available for the T20I series in the West Indies in 2024, CWI added in the statement.

Keacy Carty, Alick Athanaze, Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Gudakesh Motie are among the notable cricketers who have bagged central contracts. Among the women, Zayda James and Shenita Grimmond received contracts for the first time.

“With a busy year for cricket across all three formats, we have had many detailed discussions with the head coaches about what brand of cricket they want to play,” CWI chief selector Desmond Haynes said. “We are very clear in the direction we want to go. Players who have been offered contracts are among those we expect to feature, as we look to prepare to challenge for top spot when we host and compete in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on home soil. He added: ” We also have away Test series in Australia and England – these are two key assignments while in the 50-over format we are looking to build a core of players aiming for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.”

Amid player workloads and the increasing number of T20 leagues, players have been forced to reconsider their central contracts. In 2010, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo all turned down contracts, and more recently, Trent Boult relinquished his central contract with New Zealand in August 2022. However, Boult will play for New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup recently. .

West Indies, captained by Shai Hope, are coming off a 2-1 series win over England in the ODI series. A hat-trick haul from debutant Matthew Ford helped the Windies seal the series in the third ODI in Barbados on Saturday. The two teams will next face off in the five-match T20I series starting at the same venue on Wednesday.

List of CWI Central Contracts

West Indies men: Alec Athanazi, Craig Brathwaite, Casey Carty, Tajnarine Chanderpaul, Joshua Da Silva, Shai Hope, Akil Hussain, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Judakesh Moti, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Jayden Sills, Romario Shepherd.

Women of the West Indies: Aaliyah Allen, Shimaine Campbell, Shamelia Connell, Avi Fletcher, Sheri-Anne Fraser, Shabika Gagnabi, Janelia Glasgow, Chinita Grimmond, Shenelle Henry, Zayda James, Mandy Mangro, Hayley Matthews, Karishma Ramharak, Stephanie Taylor, Rashada Williams.

Published on: 11 December 2023 at 13:50:58 IST

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