Matthew Forde's Rise in West Indies Cricket: The CPL Connection (FILE)

Barbadian fast medium bowler Matthew Forde has credited the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for his career progression, which has led to him being called up for the upcoming One-Day International series against England in the Caribbean next week.

The uncapped 21-year-old features alongside fellow uncapped player Shane Rutherford and recalled opening batsman Kjorn Ottley in a new-look West Indies squad focused on qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Notable exclusions from the squad are Rovman Powell, Kyle Mayers, Dominic Drakes and Jayden Seales.

Forde believes that playing in the CPL laid the building blocks for what is happening now.

“The CPL really started it all because without the CPL, then the rest of the world wouldn’t see me. It was my first major tournament. So, for me, that’s like CPL was the foundation and I will always say the (St Lucia) Kings will always be [in] my heart,” he said.

The right-arm seamer took 11 wickets at an average of 14.90 in the 2023 edition of the CPL, with his best figures of 4-23 coming against the Jamaica Tallawahs at the Providence Stadium, Guyana. He also scored 50 for the West Indies Academy against Guyana in the CG United Super50 Cup and took five wickets in the competition.

Speaking at the squad unveiling in a press conference last month, Lead Selector of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior’s Men’s Selection Panel, The Most Honourable Desmond Haynes, spoke highly about Forde’s potential. He said, “Matthew is a whole-hearted cricketer who has been impressive. He is one of the players coming through the West Indies Academy programme who can form part of the future.”

Going forward, Forde wants to develop all elements of his game and has set himself the goal of becoming a world-class all-rounder in international cricket.

“For me and a couple of the younger guys like me, we work really hard in terms of fitness, the mental side of the game, theory, whatever it may be. We are always working because we know what we want to achieve and we know the goals that we have set and planned out as a collective group.”

West Indies last played 50-over cricket in a home series against India in August, which finished in a 2-1 loss for the regional side. They face England in three ODIs, the first of which is on December 3 in Antigua at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The second ODI takes place on Wednesday, December 6, at the same venue before the final ODI gets under way in Barbados at Kensington Oval on Saturday, December 9.