Alzarri Joseph

Few fast bowlers of his generation have combined raw talent with quite as much turbulence as Alzarri Joseph. The Antiguan built a reputation as one of West Indies' most dangerous new ball bowlers, but his career has also been shaped by injury, fiery flashpoints, and one moment of personal tragedy that earned him admiration far beyond the world of cricket.

Growing up in Antigua, Joseph actually started out as a leg spinner in his backyard before his height marked him out for pace bowling instead. He quickly built a reputation as one of the fastest bowlers on the school circuit, and that promise translated into results early in his domestic career for Leeward Islands. That run of form earned him a place in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup squad. At that tournament, Joseph bowled the fastest delivery on record at 147 kph and finished as West Indies' leading wicket taker as they won the title. Selectors moved quickly, fast tracking the 19 year old straight into the senior Test side for the 3rd Test against India later that year, where he announced himself by dismissing Virat Kohli for his first Test wicket. His ODI debut followed a few months later, against Pakistan in Sharjah.

The defining moment of his early career, though, had nothing to do with cricket itself. During a home Test against England in Antigua in February 2019, Joseph's mother Sharon passed away in the early hours of the third day, after a long battle with a brain tumour. He chose to stay with the team and continue playing, and was given a standing ovation by the home crowd when he walked out to bat that morning. He dismissed England captain Joe Root for the second time in the match, along with a sharp catch, as West Indies completed a 10 wicket win. The performance drew praise from across the cricketing world, including from former England captain Michael Vaughan, for the composure Joseph showed in the middle of such personal grief.

His career continued to build in the years that followed. In 2019, he was signed by Mumbai Indians as an injury replacement in the IPL and produced one of the tournament's best debut performances, taking 6 for 12 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in his very first match. He went on to represent a string of T20 franchises around the world, while also turning out for county side Worcestershire. Back in international colours, he rounded out his game steadily, reaching his maiden Test half century against New Zealand in December 2020 and making his T20I debut in July 2022.

Along the way, his fiery temperament occasionally got the better of him, most notably in November 2024, when an on field argument with captain Shai Hope saw him briefly storm off during a decisive ODI against England, resulting in a 2 match suspension and a public apology. A hamstring strain ruled him out of the 2026 T20 World Cup entirely, and he went on to miss tours of India and New Zealand with a lower back injury. He returned for a home Test series against Sri Lanka that year, and followed it with a strong showing in an ODI series against New Zealand.

Just as his form seemed to be turning, though, he unexpectedly declined selection for a Test series against Pakistan that same July, citing personal reasons, leaving his immediate future with West Indies somewhat uncertain. He channeled that form into the 2026 CPL instead, finishing as joint-leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps and helping Antigua and Barbuda Falcons to their maiden title.