STATISTICALLY, Krishmar Santokie is by far the best T20 bowler in the West Indies for the last two years, yet he finds himself on the periphery of regional selection.

Still, the 27-year-old left-arm swing bowler is hopeful of one day breaking into the West Indies team in the sport’s most lucrative format.

“Most definitely, I was disappointed because I am the best Twenty20 bowler in the Caribbean for the last three years and I wasn’t selected,” Santokie said in a recent interview with the Sunday Observer regarding his non-selection for the recent T20 World Cup which the West Indies won.

“But life goes on,” he added. “I just have to keep working hard and hope that somewhere down the line I’ll get a chance to play for the West Indies.”

A member of the West Indies Under-15 team which played in the Costcutter Cup in 2000, Santokie finally made his national senior debut seven years later when he was summoned to the one-day team.

Since then, he has been in and out of the national one-day set-up, despite his record of 17 wickets at an average of 25.64; an economy rate of 3.93, and a strike rate of 39.1 from 14 innings. This ranks him among the best bowlers in the country.

Amidst the rise of T20 cricket, Santokie has made himself a sure pick for his country, even though Jamaica are yet to win the Caribbean title.

Not the kind of West Indies fast bowler whose giant physique will drive fear into batsmen, the diminutive Santokie uses late swing to outfox his opponents, making him lethal and at times unplayable.

He is the leading bowler in T20 cricket in the West Indies with 33 wickets from 16 matches. For a fast bowler, he averages at an astonishing 10.27 and an equally impressive strike rate of 10.5.

But a selection to the West Indies A team that played India A in the summer of this year is the closest the left-hander has gotten.

“I think maybe I need to just get more wickets and maybe make some more runs if I get the chance to bat,” said Santokie about how best he can improve his chances of selection.

He added: “I watched the games while I was in Florida… and I did enjoy watching the team play even though I wasn’t there. I’m happy that the West Indies won because we’re all West Indians, whether we’re playing or not.

“I’ll just keep on playing my cricket. There’s a lot more from me and I’ll just have to keep playing hard and hope that I’ll get selected down the line,” he said.

While Santokie’s dream of a senior team debut has yet to materialise, the recently-launched Jamaica Premier League could strengthen his chances. And in his view, the JPLT20 is a step in the right direction.

“It’s a good start; I like it,” he said. “They make it more competitive. You’re playing against the best of the best in Jamaica, which make it more challenging and it sets a good tone for us going into the Caribbean T20,” said the Clarendon native who helped the May Pen Earthquakes to the semi-finals of the inaugural JPLT20 which climaxed last Sunday with the University Dynamites lifting the crown.

“I just though it should have been staged before the National Trials. Nevertheless, I think we need to keep going, aim for more sponsors that players can get a proper stipend, because playing cricket and not earning is difficult.

“A lot of the youngster playing… not working, so for most players who want to become professional cricketers, I think you can put in something where they can earn, so more people would want to play and train and work hard because it’s difficult to go out and train if you don’t have the funds,” he said.