West Indies captain Shai Hope elected to bowl first after winning the toss in the opening ODI against England in Antigua. The match marked the international debuts of John Turner and Dan Mousley for England, along with 50-over debuts for Jamie Overton and Jordan Cox.
Liam Livingstone, standing in for the injured Jos Buttler, made his captaincy debut for England. Despite missing key players like Harry Brook due to upcoming Test tours, Livingstone expressed excitement for the young team’s opportunities.
Turner’s selection came after impressing in the 2023 Men’s Hundred, while Mousley’s inclusion provided England with four allrounder spin options alongside Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, and Livingstone. Cox was slated to bat at No. 3, while Overton would be available to bowl after playing as a batter in his T20I debut against Australia.
West Indies, returning from their Sri Lanka tour, made one change to their lineup, with Shimron Hetmyer replacing Jewel Andrew in the middle order.