Shamar Joseph's Debut in ICC Men's T20I World Cup

Shamar Joseph is making his debut in the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup 2024. Shamar played his first IPL match for LSG against KKR.

Shamar Joseph, a 24-year-old fast bowler, is being called up to the West Indies squad for the coming T20 World Cup in the US and the Caribbean. Although Joseph has played just three T20s and is yet to be a part of the international team with this format, his recent performances have sparked selectors' attention.

Joseph played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and debuted in the Test against Australia earlier in the year. Desmond Haynes, the chief selection officer, said Joseph's selection, along with Shimron Hetmyer, was based on the specific roles required by the team, a point that Head Coach Daren Sammy emphasized.

"You really can't question Shamar Joseph's skills," Haynes stated. "You saw him in Australia. We were looking at someone to bowl during the first powerplay, and he ticks all the boxes."

Joseph's lightning speed and skills at taking wickets were evident when he made his Test debut in Australia earlier in the year. Seven wickets at the Gabba secured a historic victory for the Windies. This raw talent is precisely what Haynes is banking on.

However, Joseph's inexperience and knowledge of T20 are a concern. Three of his T20 performances have yet to prove particularly productive despite the economy rate of around ten runs per over and zero wickets. This is in contrast to the choice of Alzarri Joseph, an experienced fast bowler who will act as the skipper's deputy, Rovman Powell's right-hander.

Auctioned at 3 crores, Shamar Joseph was the replacement for Mark Wood. Shamar got to play his first IPL match with Lucknow Super Giants against Kolkata Knight Riders. Bowling 4 overs, Shamar gave away 47 with an economy of 11.75 but couldn’t secure a wicket.

Shamar bowled the IPL’s longest over, incurring 22 runs in just 10 balls. In summary, Shamar had a poor start to his Indian Premier League career.

Sammy acknowledged the difficulty in selecting the squad, noting several strong contenders, including fast bowler Matthew Forde. Forde was a strong candidate who debuted for West Indies against England in the home white-ball series following a successful 2023 CPL. However, Sammy supported Haynes' assessment that Joseph's pace and new ball skills gave him the edge.

"Shamar Joseph has the pace and skills with the new ball," Sammy said. "I'm not saying Matthew Forde doesn't, but when you look at the role, it makes it easier for us to pick the personnel to fit that role."

The West Indies squad has shown the sameness in their selections in the T20 format and Alzarri Joseph was named the captain's replacement with Rovman Powell. Shimron Hetmyer was recalled to the team, whereas Kyle Mayers, who featured in West Indies' previous two T20I series, is not included. Additionally, pacer Oshane Thomas is out, making way for Shamar Joseph.

The team boasts a solid lineup of all-rounders including Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie as spin options. They are the two-time T20 World Cup champions and are placed in Group C together with Papua New Guinea (PNG), Uganda, New Zealand as well as Afghanistan.