King to captain WI in Dubai

Brandon King will captain West Indies in their final T20 series before the squad is named for next month’s T20 World Cup.

In the absence of regukular skipper Shai Hope, King will be at the helm of the 16-member squad for the three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan, scheduled to be played at the Dubai Cricket International Stadium in the United Arab Emirates from January 19–22.

Hope, along with established players Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein and Sherfane Rutherford were unavailable for selection due to commitments in the ongoing SA20 tournament. 

King has previously led the West Indies in T20 Internationals, including during the home series against South Africa in early 2024.

Four Barbadians have been included in the squad: Shamar Springer, Matthew Forde, Ramon Simmonds and Justin Greaves.

Shamar Joseph and Evin Lewis are back in action for this series, with both players successfully clearing return-to-play protocols after recovering from injuries sustained in previous series.

Alzarri Joseph, who was also sidelined by injury towards the end of 2025, has been making encouraging progress in his return-to-play programme but has not been included at this stage as a precaution following medical review. He will continue to be monitored and assessed to determine his eligibility and potential selection for the World Cup squad.

Quentin Sampson, the Breakout Player of the 2025 Caribbean Premier League, has earned his maiden international call-up. He replaces Rovman Powell, who has been rested for the series alongside Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd as part of workload management.

Head Coach, Daren Sammy, noted that in addition to being utilized as a fine-tuning opportunity ahead of the ICC World Cup, this series facilitates the reintegration of key players coming off significant periods of absence.

The squad will depart the Caribbean on January 14 and is scheduled to arrive in the UAE on January 16.

West Indies T20 Squad against Afghanistan: Brandon King (captain), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales, Ramon Simmonds, Shamar Springer, Shimron Hetmyer.

Full Tour Schedule:

1st T20I: 19th January 2026 @ Dubai, UAE

2nd T20I: 21st January 2026 @ Dubai, UAE

3rd T20I: 22nd January 2026 @ Dubai, UAE