West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons out of World Twenty20
Saturday 5 March 2016 15:55, UK
Lendl Simmons has become the latest West Indies player to pull out of the upcoming World Twenty20 through injury.
The 31-year-old top order batsman is struggling with a back problem, with his replacement yet to be named.
Simmons' withdrawal comes after experienced batsman Darren Bravo, off-spinner Sunil Narine and all-rounder Kieron Pollard were also forced to pull out of the tournament, which gets underway in India on Tuesday and runs until April 3.
"The 31-year-old right-handed top-order batsman will remain in Trinidad to continue his rehabilitation," the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said in a statement.
"A replacement player will be named in the coming days."
All-rounder Andre Russell also appeared likely to miss the tournament after missing three drugs tests in a year but the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission has confirmed he will not be suspended ahead of a hearing into the missed dope tests.
West Indies face Warwickshire in a warm-up game in Dubai on Sunday before travelling to Kolkata on Monday.
Their first game is against England in Mumbai on March 14, with Ottis Gibson's side then taking on Sri Lanka, South Africa and a qualifier, who is yet to be confirmed.
Revised West Indies squad:
Darren Sammy (captain), Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor
