Ravichandran Ashwin 'Disappointed' Over Two Veteran Stars Missing T20 World Cup

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his disappointment after the West Indies failed to bring back Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine from retirement for the T20 World Cup 2026, starting on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka. Narine retired from international cricket in 2023 while Pooran quit in 2025. Both players are active in franchise T20 leagues. "I am very disappointed that the West Indies did not pick Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine in their squad for this World Cup. You need to sit across the table from them, talk to them, and bring them to the World Cup. How can you leave Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine out and go into a World Cup without them?" Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin added that he is a big fan of the West Indies cricket team and believes the board needs to reassess their planning for major tournaments.

"I am a big fan of the West Indies. They have a lot of ability. But the way they plan and sometimes even the infrastructure in the West Indies leaves me with my mouth open. I think West Indies cricket has a high ceiling and huge potential, but they really need to re-look at the way they approach and plan for World Cups," he said.

The two-time champions have lost more matches than they have won since their Super Eight exit in the last edition in 2024, but they head into the new tournament with several positives-especially the evolution of their skipper, Shai Hope, into a well-rounded T20 batter.

The Windies have often shown glimpses of the fighting spirit and explosive hitting that once made them a dominant force in the shortest format, though they have frequently fallen short in tight contests.

Since the 2024 T20 World Cup, the West Indies have won just 14 of 43 matches, losing 27, with two ending in no result.

The two-time champions are placed in Group C alongside defending champions India, Nepal, Scotland, and Italy. They will begin their campaign against Scotland on February 7 in Kolkata.

Topics mentioned in this article

West Indies Cricket Team India Cricket Team Ravichandran Ashwin T20 World Cup 2026 Nicholas Pooran Sunil Narine Cricket