Pollard Back as West Indies Switch to T20s

Cape Town: Outplayed in a Test series, the West Indies will seek to turn the tables on South Africa in a three-match Twenty20 international series which starts at Newlands on Friday.

While South Africa have rested several key players, the West Indies T20 squad boasts more experience than the Test squad which was beaten 2-0 in a three-match Test series.

Proven campaigners such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith and captain Darren Sammy have joined the touring party for the short-form matches.

Pollard starred for the Cape Cobras, who won South Africa's domestic T20 competition this season, while Gayle, Russell, Bravo and Sammy all played for South African franchises.

South Africa, on the other hand, will be missing star players such as AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, who are being rested ahead of a one-day series and next month's Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

JP Duminy, one of South Africa's most consistent T20 performers, was named in the host country's squad but his return from a knee injury has been put back again.

Originally expected to appear during the Test series he is now only expected to play in the one-day internationals which start on January 16. Justin Ontong has been added to the squad.

Captain Faf du Plessis and seam bowler Kyle Abbott are the only South African players who appeared in the Test series, while Test captain Denesh Ramdin, Suleiman Benn, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder and Marlon Samuels played for the West Indies in the Test matches.

Teams from

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (captain), Kyle Abbott, Farhaan Behardien, Marchant de Lange, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Morne van Wyk (wk), David Wiese.

West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith.

Pitch and conditions
The Newlands surface may be on the green side but the pace and bounce should still aid run-scoring. The forecast is for a clear, balmy day, which will cool down a touch come the evening.

Stats and Trivia

This will be the first T20 international between South Africa and West Indies in five years.
West Indies have only won one of their six encounters in the shortest format, at Port Elizabeth back in 2007

Match facts
Friday, January 9, 2015 (day/night)
Start time 1800 local (1600 GMT)

Scores	Upcoming	Results
South Africa vs India - 4th T20I 2nd T20I - Australia v Pakistan - November 16, 08:00 GMT 4th T20I - West Indies v England - November 16, 20:00 GMT 3rd T20I - West Indies v England at St. Lucia England won by 3 wickets (with 4 balls remaining) 1st T20I - Australia v Pakistan at Brisbane Australia won by 29 runs

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