Predicting West Indies XI for the 2016 T20 World Cup

West Indies defied expectations and clinched the 2012 World T20West Indies, by far, has to be the most unpredictable team among the major cricket playing nations in the world. They can be world beaters on their day while also fold up like a pack of cards on their off-days. If any team comes close to giving them a competition on these parameters it has to be Pakistan; who also blow hot and cold varyingly.West Indies may have been relegated for the Champions trophy, piped by Bangladesh, but with just months to go for the T20 World Cup, a team which one feels thrives playing the shortest version will be competing for the ultimate crown. After all, they defied expectations to win the 2012 edition. So here’s predicting who will and who won’t feature in the final XI for West Indies:

#1 Darren Sammy

Sammy is a very useful player in the T20 format

Darren Sammy, the captain has to lead from the front and inspire his folks to go for the kill. One gets the feeling that he is not ideally suited as the captain, but he is someone who delivers. In T20 cricket, he is a dynamo with the bat and the ball. In 58 T20Is, he has a mind-awing strike-rate of 152.99 and coming in at the backend of the innings, he is expected to give West Indies the final push.

Sammy is quite handy with the ball as well and is an acrobatic fielder – qualities which make him a very important player in the T20 format.

#2 Chris Gayle

Gayle can win matches single-handedly like no other

Chris Gayle may be inconsistent but T20 suits him like no one else in world cricket. He might be 36 by the time the 2016 World T20 begins but even his reflexes have slowed down with age, it doesn’t seem to affect his big hitting ability as he can single-handedly lead his team to victory as he has shown on various occasions.

Running between the wickets may be a non-existent factor when Gayle is out in the middle but he more than makes up for it with his ability to clear the ground uninhibitedly. The Jamaican-born cricketer scores at a rich strike-rate of 142.59, which is lethal to say the least. The critics may not be a fan of his technique, but Gayle is a must as he still is one of the most feared batsmen in the world.

#3 Dwayne Smith

Not a delight to watch, but Dwayne Smith is someone who can be crucial in the T20 format

Dwayne Smith has unmistakable flaws in his batting technique, but he can be very effective, especially in T20s. Along with Gayle, he can hit the ball long using the long handle to good effect. He could be crucial at the top of the order to get West Indies of to a brisk, flying start.

The Barbados-born cricketer has a strike-rate of 122.78. His exploits in the IPL with the Chennai Super Kings is proof enough as to how the West Indies opener has overcome his technical abilities with his raw power and application to the T20 format.

#4 Marlon Samuels

Samuels is one player who can change gears at will while batting

He is immensely talented and is probably the mainstay around which the team will look to base their innings around. He can change gears at will, playing the sheet anchor role and can also play the big shots as and when required.

He has a healthy average of 30.35 in T20s which is more than princely. One can draw parallels of him and the Indian opener Rohit Sharma who are two of the most gifted and elegant stroke-makers in the game. Samuel’s free-flowing approach is a delicacy any team would like to have in their lineup and he could be an instrumental figure in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2016.

#5 Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo is an absolute livewire on the field

The most athletic and the most entertaining in the unit, Dwayne Bravo has a style of his own. He chips in heavily with the bat, can bowl more than properly and will save you runs in the field. All in all, he is the perfect all-rounder a captain can wish for.

He has a good average of 25.29 and strikes at 119.08, thus making him a ‘must’ in the XI. The agile West Indian has exhibited nerves of steel during his T20 stint in India with the Chennai Super Kings and has developed his game under the sharp eyes of Dhoni. He has shown that he can finish the games with both bat and bowl and would be looking to repeat the same for the national team as well.

#6 Kieron Pollard

When Pollard hits them, it usually goes the distance

Like most West Indians, he is an all-rounder who can hit monstrous sixes and can be effective with the ball as he can almost guarantee his captain our overs every match. Pollard is also a livewire on the field who can produce moments of brilliance that inspire the whole team.

In this format, he would fit into almost every side in the world. He has a mind-numbing strike-rate of 142.24 and his big hitting abilities could hold the key for the big matches during the world spectacle. Pollard has a good knowhow of the Indian conditions again like most in the West Indies XI which makes him even more important.

#7 Andre Russel

Russel is an absolute delight for any captain

One of the most important players for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Russel has a good taste of the Indian conditions and can win you matches in a matter of moments. Not technically sound with the bat but highly, highly effective, he also bowls like most West Indians and will be a player to watch out for.

The no nonsense player is a prankster and will also help in keeping the morals of the dressing room high. He has an enviable strike rate of 129.49 which can shoot up to 200 or 300 when on song. He is a dream for any captain to have in his team.

#8 Dinesh Ramdin

Ramdin’s experience should see him make the squad

He is more of the purist or at least looks like one; a player who could play as a floater and be counted. Ramdin is the wicket-keeper in the team and could play anchor if required. He does not have the big, booming shots but is a utility in the mix.

Ramdin also has a good technique against spin and that could come in handy in the low-slow-puffy pitches. The Trinidadian has an OK strike-rate of 121.03. Though he is not the only keeper going around but his experience could see him make the cut ahead of some promising names in the West Indian circuit.

#9 Sunil Narine

Benn’s height could help him in extracting bounce from the Indian pitches

In Indian conditions, most skippers will be tempted to play two regular spinners and if that is the case for Darren Sammy as well, then Benn should be there in the starting line-up. His height helps in extracting bounce which could prove to be the game-changer in Indian conditions.

Benn is economical, bowls a good length, has the capability of hurrying batsman into playing false shots and if required, could come in and dart one yorker after the other. He has a best of four for six in this format and goes at a touch over seven which is acceptable as he plays a lot of cricket in spinner unfriendly pitches.

#10

Sunil Narine’s wicket-taking ability is second to none

Made to remodel his action after being reported for suspect action, Sunil Narine might have lost some of his venom, but with plenty of time still to go for the 2016 World T20, the West Indian mystery spinner can get back to his menacing best. He could be ruthless on the spin-friendly tracks in India as has been evident with his exploits for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

A bowling strike rate of under 20 in T20s is unheard-of which makes him the biggest threat from the bowling point of view for West Indies. The Narine-factor is bound to crumble some teams mentally as well.

#12 Ravi Rampaul

Rampaul is expected to lead the West Indies fast bowling attack

Fitness and injuries have slowed down his career, but once he steers clear of those issues, he is West Indies’ best T20 pace bowler. His smooth action enables him to control the ball well while bowling at a decent pace makes him a standout from the rest of the fast bowlers. His ability to swing the ball could be an added asset in Indian conditions.