Alzarri Joseph banned after public spat with West Indies captain Shai Hope in 1st ODI against England prompts strict action

In the match on Wednesday, where the West Indies secured the three-match series by winning with eight wickets, Joseph made a dramatic exit from the pitch shortly after dismissing Jordan Cox in the fourth over. His actions seemed to be a protest against the field set by West Indies captain Shai Hope. This left the West Indies team temporarily down to 10 players, but Joseph eventually returned in the sixth over. However, he opted not to bowl again until the 12th over.

Despite returning to his role briefly, he left the field again after back-to-back misfields off his own deliveries, which resulted in England securing additional runs through overthrows. Joseph later returned to complete his quota, finishing with figures of 2 for 45 in his 10 overs, taking the wickets of Cox and Dan Mousley.

On Thursday, Cricket West Indies said in a statement Joseph's conduct fell short of CWI's “standards of professionalism.”

"Alzarri’s behavior did not align with the core values that Cricket West Indies upholds. Such conduct cannot be overlooked, and we have taken decisive action to ensure the gravity of the situation is fully acknowledged," said CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe.

Joseph also issued an apology.

“I recognize that my passion got the best of me,” Joseph was quoted as saying in the CWI statement. "I have personally apologized to captain Shai Hope and my teammates and management. I also extend my sincerest apologies to the West Indies fans — understand that even a brief lapse in judgment can have a far-reaching impact, and I deeply regret any disappointment caused.”

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy expressed his concerns about the fast bowler’s actions. Speaking to TalkSPORT after the game, Sammy stated, “Behaviour like that is unacceptable on my cricket field. We will be friends…but in the culture I'm trying to build, that's unacceptable. We will definitely have a chat about that.”

With the one-day series concluded, England and the West Indies meet in a five-match Twenty20 series beginning Saturday at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.