Jamaican Teen Vitel Lawes Named in West Indies ODI Squad for New Zealand Series

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC): Nineteen-year-old Jamaican wrist-spinner Vitel Lawes may earn his first cap with the West Indies senior men's side after his selection in a 15-player group for the first three games of a five-match One-Day International campaign against New Zealand, set to begin this weekend.

Lawes joined the senior setup at a preparatory camp ahead of the home ODI rubber against Sri Lanka.

His call-up follows a standout showing at the ICC Under-19 Men's World Cup earlier this year, where he took 10 wickets and earned a place on the Team of the Tournament.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said Lawes' addition to the squad was deliberate.

"The inclusion of Vitel Lawes is strategic as we continue our long-term vision of exposing players who can complement the team in conditions that best suit their skill sets," he maintained.

The Windies will miss the firepower of batsman Shimron Hetmyer and all-rounder Shamar Springer.

Hetmyer received pre-approved clearance through a No Objection Certificate to honour Major League Cricket duties, while Springer pulled out of contention after the death of his mother.

All-rounder Keemo Paul has been brought in as Springer's replacement and is the sole change to the lineup that fell 1-0 to Sri Lanka across three ODIs.

With automatic qualification for the 2027 ICC Men's World Cup at stake, Sammy stressed that victory over New Zealand is essential.

The Caribbean side ranks 10th on 73 points, trailing Bangladesh by 11 for the last guaranteed berth.

"Every series we play from here on leading up to the 50-Over World Cup, we view them as must-win scenarios. The matches against New Zealand provide the best opportunity for us to continue our improvement as an ODI unit while winning more matches for the people of the Caribbean," Sammy said.

The squad gathers in Guyana today.