On Saturday, Cricket West Indies has confirmed that the flamboyant Windies all-rounder Andre Russell will not be able to play the third and final ODI against Bangladesh as he is nursing a knee injury. The match will be deciding the winner of the ODI series as well and Russell’s absence is going to leave a huge impact on the hosts ‘ chances in the decider.
The 30-year-old returned to the One-Day International squad recently for the first time since 2015, but he only manage to take one wicket and scored just 13 runs in the Windies’ loss to Bangladesh on Sunday 22. He missed the second victorious ODI to have treatment on his knee and was expected to be fit and running ahead of the three-match T20I series between the nations.
Andre was out of the ODI squad for so long as he served a one year ban from the game for a doping whereabouts rule violation. He did not file his whereabouts on three occasions in 2015 as required, which also included a failed drugs test under the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
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Resultantly, the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission banned him from playing any cricket between January 31, 2017, and January 30 this year.
Russell is not expected to get ruled out of the Twenty20 international series, the shortest format being the one he has thrived more than any other.
Sheldon Cottrell has been named as Russell’s replacement for the last ODI on Saturday in St. Kitts. Followed by the ODI series, both teams will be locking horns with each other for the three-match T20I series which is scheduled to start from 31 July, with the two other matches on August 4 and August 5.
Windies’ full squad for the deciding ODI:
Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Sheldon Cottrell, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell.
