Imran Khan to lead Red Force in opener

Leg-spinning all-rounder Imran Khan.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – West Indies all-rounder Imran Khan will lead Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in their opening match of the Regional Four-Day Championship against Windward Islands Volcanoes.

The 34-year-old is a veteran of 92 first class matches and has become a fixture in the Red Force side in recent seasons.

He was preferred over Barbadian Kyle Hope and Jason Mohammed, both of whom have led the squad in the past.

Former Test captain, Denesh Ramdin, who skippered Red Force last season, is not in the 14-man squad presumably because he will be on West Indies duty for the T20 series in Bangladesh later this month.

Khan is the side’s frontline leg-spinner, having captured 368 wickets, and has also developed as a batsman in recent years and has a hundred and 11 half-centuries.

Last season, Khan was his team’s leading wicket-taker with 48 at an average of 25, and also chipped in with 241 runs.

Red Force will be hoping for a change in fortunes after finishing last in the six-team championship, with two wins in 10 matches.

The multiple-time former champions will not feature in the first round but will take on Volcanoes in the second round starting next week Thursday at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.

SQUAD – Imran Khan (captain), Yannic Cariah (vice-captain), Kyle Hope, Jeremy Solozano, Amir Jangoo, Jason Mohammed, Joshua Da Silva, Tion Webster, Daniel St. Clair, Bryan Charles, Odean Smith, Anderson Phillip, Ricky Jaipaul.