ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda (AFP) — Highlyrated off spinner Sunil Narine, top-order batsman Darren Bravo and fast bowler Kemar Roach were all named in the West Indies World Cup squad yesterday despite missing out on the current South Africa tour.

Narine was summoned to share spin-bowling duties with Sulieman Benn, Bravo was recalled after choosing to sit out the current series for “personal reasons”, while Roach has recovered from an injury suffered in the team’s 220-run defeat against South Africa in the first Test last month.

Barbados all-rounder Jason Holder was confirmed as captain with experienced batsman Marlon Samuels appointed vice-captain.

The most experienced ODI player in the squad is opener Chris Gayle with 258 appearances. Samuels (162), Denesh Ramdin (115) and Darren Sammy (115) all have over a hundred ODI games under their belts, while Dwayne Smith (94) could achieve his 100th appearance during the World Cup which starts on February 14.

The squad has a total of 1,156 ODI appearances with only Sheldon Cottrell and Jonathan Carter yet to debut internationally. Carter and Cottrell are both in the ODI squad to face South Africa in a five-match series to commence shortly.

“I believe we have selected a very good team which will do West Indies proud at the World Cup,” said Clive Lloyd, the West Indies chairman of selectors. “We have a good mixture of some good seasoned players and some good youngsters who will fly the West Indies flag in Australia and New Zealand.

“If they play to their potential I am quite sure we will do very well. I have really high hopes in this team.

I believe they can do something special.” As expected, there was no World Cup reprieve for former captain Dwayne Bravo, who was axed after the team’s controversial decision to quit October’s tour of India four matches into a five-game One- Day Series over a pay dispute.

West Indies play their opening World Cup match on February 16 against Ireland before going on to face Pool B rivals, defending champions India, South Africa, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates.

West Indies squad: Jason Holder (captain), Marlon Samuels, Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor.