Gudakesh Motie. (Photo source: Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Matthew Forde has returned from injury while Gudakesh Motie has been left out for remedial work on his bowling action, as West Indies announced their 15-member squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled from November 5 to 13.

Forde, who has not played any cricket since July, has completed rehabilitation following a shoulder injury. His recall coincides with the inclusion of Shamar Springer, who has been drafted in to bolster a seam attack weakened by injuries to Ramon Simmons and Jediah Blades, both ruled out of the tour.

Springer has taken two wickets from as many T20Is, his most recent appearance coming in October 2024. Forde, meanwhile, has 17 wickets from 13 T20Is.

Motie has been omitted following what Cricket West Indies (CWI) described as a recent dip in form related to technical issues with his bowling action. On the tour of Bangladesh, he recorded figures of 0/44, 3/65 and 1/53 across three ODIs, and bowled just one over for 11 runs in his only T20I outing.

Motie will work with specialists from the Royals Sports Group to address those concerns ahead of the SA20 in December, where he will represent the Paarl Royals. According to CWI, Motie remains an integral part of their long-term plans and is expected to feature at next year’s T20 World Cup. The decision to rest him for this series also reflects the limited assistance to spin in New Zealand.

Forde, one of only two specialist fast bowlers in the squad alongside Jayden Seales, will be supported by seam-bowling allrounders Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, and Shamar Springer.

Shamar Joseph remains sidelined after experiencing shoulder discomfort during training in Bangladesh last month.

Led by T20I captain Shai Hope, the batting lineup includes Brandon King, Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, and Amir Jangoo. The spin department will be headed by Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein, and Khary Pierre.

In a move aimed at enhancing the squad’s mental resilience, Krisnan Hurdle, a clinical psychologist, has been appointed as Mental Skills and Performance Coach, beginning with this tour. The role, first announced in October, was identified as a key development following an emergency board meeting earlier this year.

West Indies’ five-match T20I series against New Zealand begins with back-to-back games at Eden Park, Auckland, on November 5 and 6, followed by two fixtures at Saxton Oval, Nelson, on November 9 and 10, before concluding at University Oval, Dunedin, on November 13. The team will be looking to build on their momentum after securing their first-ever 3-0 away T20I series sweep against Bangladesh earlier this year.

West Indies T20I squad vs New Zealand

Shai Hope (capt), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo, Brandon King, Khary Pierre, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer.