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West Indies players sign contracts ahead of World T20

by Manuj Sharma Monday 15 February 2016

Darren Bravo wants to focus more on Test cricket.

©REUTERS / Action Images

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has confirmed that 12 players out of the 15-man squad originally named for the 2016 World Twenty20 tournament have submitted signed contracts.

Earlier this month, West Indies T20I captain Darren Sammy had written to the WICB stating voicing the players’ displeasure with the terms of payment for the World T20.

However, the WICB CEO Michael Muirhead refused to accept Sammy’s demands for increase in the payments and asked the West Indies players to submit signed contracts by 14th February.

Last week, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine withdrew their names from the squad and the WICB has now revealed that Darren Bravo has also opted out in order to focus on the longer formats of the game.

Pollard’s knee injury has kept him out of the squad while Narine cited unsatisfactory progress over his remedial work on his bowling action as the reason to pull out of the World T20.

In a media release, the WICB further disclosed that Darren has preferred to play in the domestic four-day competition in order to focus on his long-term goals in the longer forms of the game.

“Indeed I'm very grateful and humbled for the opportunity to represent the West Indies Cricket Team at the World Cup,” said Bravo.

“However, I'm of the firm belief that I have a very big part to play in the resurgence of West Indies cricket in the longer formats of the game and I will like the opportunity to play in our Professional Cricket League (the regional first-class tournament) because it will put me in good stead and will allow me to achieve those goals that I have aligned myself for the year 2016 and beyond.”

The WICB also confirmed that a replacement for Bravo will be named shortly whereas Carlos Brathwaite and Ashley Nurse have been picked in place of Pollard and Narine.

West Indies World T20 Squad:*

Darren Sammy (captain), Sulieman Benn, Jason Holder, Andre Fletcher, Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin, Chris Gayle, Ashley Nurse, Carlos Brathwaite.

* Darren Bravo’s replacement yet to be named