Chris Gayle named Windies vice-captain for World Cup
Tuesday 7 May 2019 13:20, UK
The West Indies cricket board has named opening batsman Chris Gayle as vice-captain for the World Cup, which begins at the end of this month in England and Wales.
Former captain Gayle, 39, will be playing in his fifth World Cup and has amassed over 10,000 runs in 289 one-day internationals for the Caribbean side.
Gayle, who last captained the West Indies in an ODI in June 2010, will back up current skipper Jason Holder during the tournament.
"As a senior player, it is my responsibility to support the captain and everyone else in the team," Gayle said in a statement from Cricket West Indies.
"This will probably be the biggest World Cup, so there will be great expectations and I know we'll do very well for the people of the West Indies."
Wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope, who has played 50 ODIs with five centuries to his name, was named the vice-captain for the ongoing tri-series in Ireland, which also features Bangladesh.
"It's a tremendous honour to be appointed vice-captain for this series here in Ireland," Hope said.
"Ahead of this tournament I was asked to take on this role and I was happy to accept. Anything I'm asked to do for West Indies cricket I'm always happy and willing to put my hand up, so this is great."
The Windies, champions in 1975 and 1979, start their World Cup campaign on May 31 when they take on Pakistan in Nottingham.
