Sarwan relishes West Indies return for Masters World Cup
Key Points(5)
- Former West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan is relishing the opportunity to wear the Caribbean side’s iconic maroon colors again, with the veteran batter preparing to represent the region at the 2026 International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over-40s World Cup.
- The 16-team tournament begins Saturday, October 17, bringing together former international players for two weeks of competition across Guyana.
- Sarwan, now 46, believes the event will offer an exciting return to representative cricket while presenting a demanding test of fitness and preparation for players who have moved beyond their prime international years.
- “It will be nice to be back in the maroon colours again; I [am] really excited and looking forward to do well,” Sarwan said.
- He was speaking Tuesday night on Sean Devers’ Sports Watch in Georgetown.
Former West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan is relishing the opportunity to wear the Caribbean side’s iconic maroon colors again, with the veteran batter preparing to represent the region at the 2026 International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over-40s World Cup.
The 16-team tournament begins Saturday, October 17, bringing together former international players for two weeks of competition across Guyana.
Sarwan, now 46, believes the event will offer an exciting return to representative cricket while presenting a demanding test of fitness and preparation for players who have moved beyond their prime international years.
“It will be nice to be back in the maroon colours again; I [am] really excited and looking forward to do well,” Sarwan said.
He was speaking Tuesday night on Sean Devers’ Sports Watch in Georgetown.
A return to the international stage
Sarwan enjoyed a distinguished career with West Indies, scoring 15 centuries in 87 Test matches while also appearing in 181 one-day internationals and 18 T20 internationals.
His final international appearance came against India on June 11, 2013, just 21 days before his 33rd birthday.
More than a decade later, the former right-handed batter is preparing to represent West Indies again, this time in the Over-40s competition. He acknowledged that the demands of veteran cricket would require serious attention to conditioning, but said he was ready for the challenge.
Sarwan, who also captained Guyana and led the team to the inaugural Stanford T20 title in 2006, will be part of a West Indies squad led by former international captain and wicketkeeper-batter Denesh Ramdin.
Guyana will have three former Test players in the squad, with Sarwan joined by Sewnarine Chattergoon and Devendra Bishoo.
Fitness and preparation remain essential
While welcoming the prospect of competitive cricket among former international players, Sarwan cautioned that experience alone would not guarantee success.
He noted that participants were no longer in their late 20s or early 30s, making training and maintaining a healthy lifestyle especially important.
The tournament, he said, should nevertheless provide entertaining cricket as players from different countries reunite and compete.
For Sarwan, the event also carries significance beyond the boundary, offering Guyana an opportunity to showcase its hospitality and attract visitors through sport.
Guyana stands to benefit from cricket showcase
With participating teams, supporters and players’ families expected to spend two weeks in the country, Sarwan believes the tournament could provide a boost to tourism and economic activity.
“[It is] Good for the economy of Guyana. Sports play a big part in tourism so I am sure the players and their families will have a great time in Guyana,” he said.
The tournament will also take cricket to several parts of the country, giving fans across Guyana’s three counties opportunities to watch the West Indies team in action.
Matches spread across three counties
West Indies will launch their campaign against Australia at the National Stadium in Providence.
The schedule also includes matches at Albion in Berbice, as well as the Joe Jagmohan Ground and Anna Regina Stadium in Essequibo.
Albion will stage five matches, including the highly anticipated meeting between Pakistan and India. The venue holds a special place in Caribbean cricket history: West Indies defeated Pakistan there in the first one-day international played in the Caribbean in 1977.
Essequibo Coast will host four matches, with West Indies featuring in the tournament’s only day-night fixture under lights at the Anna Regina Stadium.
The distribution of matches is expected to broaden the tournament’s reach, bringing international veteran cricket to spectators beyond Georgetown and the Providence venue.
Eight teams in each group, four to advance
The 16 participating teams have been divided into two groups of eight, with the top four teams in each group advancing to the semifinals.
West Indies are in Group B alongside Australia, South Africa, Namibia, Colombia, Wales, Canada and Sri Lanka.
Group A comprises England, New Zealand, Pakistan, India, Scotland, the United States, Rest of the World XI and the Rest of the Caribbean Team.
For Sarwan, the tournament offers a chance to reconnect with the maroon colors and compete alongside former international players. For Guyana, it is an opportunity to combine cricket, tourism and regional pride in a two-week celebration of the sport.
