By Akeem Greene
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has received a significant boost ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup, with Director Dr Donovan Bennett confirming that fast bowler Shamar Joseph is “fit and ready to go.”
Shamar, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury since the conclusion of the CPL in September, was recently forced to miss the Test tour of India and the ongoing ODI series against Bangladesh in Dhaka.
However, the latest reports from his rehabilitation suggest a successful recovery.
“The latest that I saw on Shamar is that he is fit and ready to go,” Dr Bennett, Head of the Medical Panel, told Mason and Guest on Tuesday evening.
“I saw some stats a couple of days ago when he was going through his bowling protocols; he was bowling pretty fast, in the 140s [kph] without any discomfort. He is ready to go.”
The news is equally promising for Alzarri Joseph, who missed the India Test series due to a lower-back injury described by CWI as “degeneration of a previously resolved injury.”
Dr Bennett noted that while Shamar is further along, Alzarri has resumed return-to-play protocols and is currently hitting his required fitness targets.
“Based on what I am seeing, both of them should be ready for the World Cup,” he added.
Both Shamar and Alzarri have been out of competitive action since September 2025.
Shamar’s absence was particularly felt during the India tour, and his subsequent withdrawal from the Bangladesh series led to a recommendation for a specialist consultation in England. That process now appears to have yielded positive results.
CWI President Dr Kishore Shallow confirmed that a provisional squad has already been selected but not yet presented to the board.
The final squad for the tournament, hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is expected to be finalised following the West Indies’ series against Afghanistan in India (January 18–22).
The Caribbean side will use a three-match T20I tour of South Africa at the end of January as their final preparation before opening their World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Kolkata on February 7.
West Indies have been drawn in Group C alongside England, Nepal, and Italy.
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