Romario Shepherd At The Risk Of Missing T20 World Cup 2026? West Indies Provide Update

Romario Shepherd has picked up an injury [Source: @imArshit/x.com]

West Indies are flying high in the T20 World Cup 2026, but just when things looked smooth and steady, a small cloud has appeared on the horizon. Romario Shepherd’s fitness concern has left fans biting their nails and wondering whether the hard-hitting all-rounder could miss more games in the tournament.

The Caribbean side won the toss against Nepal at Wankhede and opted to bowl first. But the big talking point before the first ball was bowled wasn’t the pitch or the conditions. It was the absence of Romario Shepherd from the playing XI, with Matthew Forde coming in as a replacement while the team management chose caution over risk.

Shai Hope provides Romario Shepherd fitness update

West Indies captain Shai Hope cleared the air at the toss and confirmed that Shepherd was rested purely as a precaution after struggling with a slight niggle. While the words sounded calm and measured, fans know that in a World Cup, even a small injury can snowball into a bigger concern if not handled properly.

“One change. Shepherd out, Matthew Forde comes in. Slight little niggle, Shepherd's been struggling a little bit, but we just want to make sure precautionary measures are being in place and Forde can come in and do the job. So we're very happy to give him some rest today,” Hope said at the toss.

The message from the West Indies camp was clear and simple: no need to push Romario Shepherd when the tournament is long and the stakes are even higher. But at the same time, such rest calls during a World Cup always leave the door open for speculation about how serious the issue might be.

Matthew Forde steps up with the ball

Matthew Forde grabbed his chance with both hands and delivered a tidy spell that helped West Indies put Nepal on the back foot early, as he returned figures of 1 for 10 in his four overs and kept things tight when Nepal were trying to stitch together a recovery after a shaky start.

Nepal managed 133/8 in their 20 overs, with Dipendra Singh Airee holding the innings together with a fighting 58 off 47 balls while Sompal Kami’s late flourish added some respectability, but Jason Holder’s four-wicket haul and disciplined bowling from the rest of the attack ensured West Indies stayed firmly in control throughout the innings.

West Indies cruising but Romario Shepherd question remains

At the time of writing, West Indies are cruising in the chase at 85/1 after 11 overs and need just 49 runs from 54 balls with seven wickets in hand, with Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer ticking along nicely. Another victory here and a likely Super 8 qualification is just around the corner for the Men in Maroon.

But while the scoreboard looks comfortable and the campaign is gaining momentum, the real question floating around the West Indies camp is about Romario Shepherd and how quickly he can recover, because in a tournament like this, momentum is everything and losing a key all-rounder at a crucial stage could upset the balance of the side.

West Indies off to a winning start

West Indies began their campaign with a strong win over Scotland and followed it up with an impressive triumph against England, and they now look set to notch up another victory against Nepal which would almost seal their Super 8 spot, but the team management will be hoping that Shepherd’s niggle doesn’t turn into a long-term headache.