NEW DELHI: Shai Hope will captain two-time champions West Indies at next month’s T20 World Cup, with the Caribbean squad also including uncapped batter Quentin Sampson and fast bowler Shamar Joseph. Former skipper Jason Holder, along with Romario Shepherd and Rovman Powell, have returned to the side after missing the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which West Indies lost 1-2, due to league commitments. Hope himself did not take part in the Afghanistan series as he was featuring in the recently concluded SA20. A total of 11 players from the previous T20 World Cup, held in the Americas, have been retained for the 20-team tournament that gets underway on February 7. West Indies lifted the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016 under Daren Sammy, who now serves as the team’s head coach. Group challenge and build-up The Caribbean side have been drawn in Group C alongside former champions England, debutants Italy, Nepal, and Scotland, who replaced Bangladesh after they declined to travel to India for the event. As part of their preparations, West Indies will tour South Africa for a three-match T20I series from January 27 to 31. They will open their T20 World Cup campaign against Scotland in Kolkata on February 7. West Indies squad: Shai Hope (c & wk), Johnson Charles (wk), Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hossein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd (With PTI Inputs)