Athanaze and Carty to lead West Indies A in white-ball series against England Lions

Alick Athanaze will captain West Indies A in the three T20 internationals against England Lions, while Keacy Carty will lead the side across the five one-day matches. The full eight-game white-ball series runs from November 1 to November 16, 2026, with all fixtures scheduled in St Kitts and Nevis.

The T20 squad contains 13 players and the one-day squad 15. Cricket West Indies confirmed both squads on October 26, 2026, with the two formats carrying distinct planning objectives for the regional board.

Several players appear in both squads. Athanaze, Vitel Lawes, Jewel Andrew, Jakeem Pollard and Shadrack Descarte are named across the T20 and one-day groups, giving the selectors a core of players to assess across all eight matches.

What does the one-day selection signal about West Indies' 50-over planning?

The one-day squad has been assembled with a specific short-term target in mind. Cricket West Indies stated that the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier, scheduled to begin in February 2027, is the primary objective, with the World Cup in October 2027 the goal beyond it.

"The one-day squad has been picked with the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which begins in February, as the immediate priority, and the World Cup in October 2027 beyond it. For players outside the senior side, these five matches against England A [Lions] are the main opportunity to press their case before the qualifier squad is named. The West Indies have already qualified for the 2028 ICC Men's T20 World Cup through their Super 8 finish at the 2026 tournament, and these matches begin identifying the players and roles for it," said CWI as quoted by Cricinfo.

Kevin Wickham had been in contention for a place in the one-day squad but received a call-up to the Test series in Bangladesh instead. His absence created an opening for West Indies Academy player Rivaldo Clarke, who has been included in the 15-member group. The capped players in the one-day side alongside Carty are Athanaze, Lawes, Andrew, Kevlon Anderson, Jediah Blades, Kirk McKenzie, Shamar Springer and Oshane Thomas. Top-order batter Mikyle Louis has been attached to the squad as a development player to work on his white-ball game within a high-performance environment. Head coach Ottis Gibson leads the West Indies A setup for the series.

"The qualifier in February is the most important assignment of our 50-over year, and we are treating it that way. Our aim is to win it and take that form to the World Cup in October. These one-day matches are a big part of how we choose the players to do that, and the T20 matches start the work for 2028," CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe said.

"Ottis Gibson [head coach of West Indies A] knows what international cricket demands. We've asked him to give every player clarity about their role, to tell us who is closest to stepping up, and what each player needs to work on to give them the best chance when they do," he added.

What is the purpose of the T20 matches and who features in that squad?

West Indies have already secured their place at the 2028 ICC Men's T20 World Cup by reaching the Super 8 stage at the 2026 tournament. The three T20s against England Lions therefore serve as an early identification exercise for players and roles ahead of that 2028 campaign.

The T20 squad includes four players who have already made their international debuts, Lawes, Andrew, Quentin Sampson and Kamil Pooran. CWI noted that for players outside the senior setup, the five one-day matches in particular represent the clearest route to pressing their case before the qualifier squad is announced, while the T20 fixtures begin the longer work toward 2028. Thomas Rew captains the England Lions T20 side for this tour, with Dan Lawrence leading their 50-over group.

West Indies A T20 squad

Alick Athanaze (capt), Jewel Andrew, Zachary Carter, Shadrack Descarte, Keon Gaston, Karima Gore, Joshua James, Vitel Lawes, Zishan Motara, Jakeem Pollard, Kamil Pooran, Quentin Sampson, Stewart Thompson

West Indies A one-day squad

Keacy Carty (capt), Kevlon Anderson, Jewel Andrew, Alick Athanaze, Jediah Blades, Rivaldo Clarke, Shadrack Descarte, Jyd Goolie, Vitel Lawes, Kirk McKenzie, Micah McKenzie, Shaqkere Parris, Jakeem Pollard, Shamar Springer, Oshane Thomas