Romario Shepherd is not playing against Nepal.
Why is Romario Shepherd not in West Indies playing XI today for WI vs NEP T20 World Cup 2026 game? The reason is that he is not fully fit to take the field against Nepal.
Shai Hope revealed that Romario Shepherd has a niggle and will sit out of the game as a precaution. They don’t want to exacerbate it ahead of the Super 8 stage, where the Caribbean are expected to qualify.
“Slight little niggle, Shepherd’s been struggling a little bit, but we just want to make sure precautionary measures are being put in place, and Forde can come in and do the job. So we’re very happy to give him some rest today,” exclaimed Hope.
So, this is the answer to the question ‘Why is Romario Shepherd not in West Indies playing XI today for WI vs NEP T20 World Cup 2026 game?’ This comes as a massive blow for the Men in Maroon, for Shepherd was in terrific form and had been contributing heavily, especially with the ball, including a hat-trick in the opening game.
As the West Indies captain confirmed, Matthew Forde comes in his place. He played the opening game against Scotland at Eden Gardens, where he scored a solitary run and went wicketless.
West Indies are the top-ranked side in Group C, with two wins in as many games. One more win here will seal their Super 8 qualification, and they will aim to get it done against Nepal itself.
Their final game will be against Italy, which should be relatively easy, but they won’t want to take any risks at this stage. The two-time champions have been playing quality cricket and are expected to pose a massive threat to other teams in the competition.
Six points should be enough for them to advance to the next stage, even if England win their final game against Italy. West Indies find themselves in a comfortable position after that emphatic victory over England at the Wankhede Stadium.
After winning the toss, West Indies have opted to field first, planning to exploit early moisture and build inroads. Shepherd remains the only change in their playing XI from their win against England.
Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh(w), Rohit Paudel(c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane
West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph
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