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Gayle upset over West Indies Cup squad

Star batsman vents his anger over the West Indies' omission of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard

Former captain Chris Gayle has risked the wrath of the West Indies Cricket Board by describing Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard's World Cup omission as "ridiculous" and "victimisation".

West Indies announced a 15-man squad on Saturday for the global tournament, set to start in Australia and New Zealand next month, but left out all-rounders Bravo and Pollard.

Gayle, no stranger to stand-offs with the country's national board, believes the absence of the two Trinidadians leaves the Windies without their "strongest team".

The big-hitting opener was speaking after his match-winning 90 as the tourists completed a Twenty20 series success over South Africa (watch below).

He asked: "How can those two guys not be in the team?

"To me it (has) got to be like victimisation when you look at it towards those two guys.

"Come on .. it is just ridiculous ... (it has) really hurt ... just sad.

"We don't have our strongest team without Pollard or Bravo.

"It is a really big blow for us to actually lose two key players.

"I don't know what's the history behind it, but it is a ridiculous selection from my point of view ... with two of our biggest players in ODI cricket not involved in the 50-over format and the World Cup."

Related: View all the World Cup squads

Pollard and Bravo have also been left out of the squad for a one-day international series against South Africa.

Bravo was a driving force behind an apparent player boycott over a contract dispute three months ago which led to the Windies pulling out of their tour of India.

Sir Viv Richards, a legend of West Indian cricket, has noted that the omitted duo are quality players but stopped short of criticising selectors when writing for the ICC website.

"A lot is going on in West Indies’ cricket at present. Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard have been left out of the squad announced for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Any limited-overs’ team will be happy to have two players of the calibre of Bravo and Pollard," Richards wrote.

"However, at this stage, we also must respect the people who select the team and it is not for me to say whether this decision is right or wrong."