Just a few months before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, West Indies several Key players’ availability is doubtful.
Among them, many people talked about, Fabian Allen had pulled out of West Indies Selection for personal reasons. Before six months his last appearance in a West Indies shirt.
However, Fabian Allen has made himself available for international selection again. Allen was the one of leading run-scorer in the 6ixty which ended yesterday (28).
The 26-year-old is an integral part of West Indies’ limited-overs squad, having represented them in 20 ODIs and 34 T20I matches.
Allen, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder, declined a retainer contract with Cricket West Indies earlier this year and has been absent for “personal reasons” throughout West Indies’ home season.
He revealed in a statement that he had lost his father to cancer earlier this year, thanking CWI for their support throughout “a very difficult time for me and my family”, and confirmed that he is available for West Indies selection.
“I’d like to thank my family, friends and fans for their support over the past four months,” Allen said. “As some of you may know, I recently lost my father to cancer this year and it has been a very difficult time for me and my family. He was my biggest fan and I’m happy he got [to] see me live my dream as a professional cricketer. I will continue to make him proud.
“As a professional athlete you learn to quickly put things behind you and move forward but it has been particularly difficult for me over the past couple [of] months. I’m very grateful to the Mumbai Indians franchise for allowing me the time to handle my personal arrangements and being flexible with my schedule.
“After laying my dad to rest I immediately had to turn my focus to the IPL. While it kept me busy and focused, I knew after the tournament was completed, I needed to take some time away from the game.”
He will represent Jamaica Tallawahs at the CPL, where he will hope to push for a place in West Indies T20 World Cup squad.
“Cricket West Indies has been supportive throughout the entire process and I really want to thank Johnny Grave [chief executive] and Jimmy Adams [director of cricket] for their consideration. I want to use this opportunity to make it clear, I’ll always want to represent my country and the West Indies.
“Even though I did not necessarily make it clear why I made myself unavailable for selection during the recent summer schedule, it was important for me to finish my grieving process and spend some time with my family.
“Most importantly, I’ve been getting myself physically and mentally ready for the CPL and hopefully the T20 World Cup (if selected) later this year. The best of Fabian Allen is yet to come. I know I have the ability to be one of the best batting allrounders in the world and I look forward to showcasing it for all to see.”
The CPL, which runs from September 1 to October 1, will come at a good time for West Indies’ selection for the T20 World Cup. The West Indies will have to play the first round of games, which starts on October 16, to qualify for the Super 12 round of the T20 World Cup.