'WI Board non-transparent in team selection'

The West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) has accused the West Indies Cricket Board of failing to be transparent with the selection of teams for the opening matches of Pakistan's tour of the Caribbean.

This follows the exclusion of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle, and Ramnaresh Sarwan from the West Indies team for the Twenty20 International on Thursday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground, as well as the first two One-day Internationals on Saturday and Monday at the same ground.

"While WIPA is clear that teams should be picked on performance, potential, playing conditions, and preparedness, it is concerned that there may be an appearance that there were other unknown factors being taken into account," said WIPA in a media release.

 "If so, all players should be aware of what those other factors are," Fox Sports quoted the WIPA release, as saying.

The exclusion of Chanderpaul, Gayle, and Sarwan, has prompted typical widespread condemnation in the Caribbean of the WICB, its selectors, and its selection policy.

It has also led to speculation that the days of the three former captains are numbered.

But Chief Executive Officer of the WICB Ernest Hilaire said last week that reports of the senior players being dropped permanently have been greatly exaggerated.