Brathwaite committed to West Indies duty despite T20 lure

Sydney, Jan 18 (IANS) West Indies star Carlos Brathwaite has reiterated his commitment to playing international cricket, despite the demand for his services in Twenty20 leagues across the globe.

The 28-year-old has been an instant hit with Sydney Thunder in the ongoing Australia Big Bash and already the franchise is weighing the possibility of securing his services for the next season, reports CMC.

However, the West Indies are scheduled to tour New Zealand from November 2017 to January 2018 for three Tests, five One-Day Internationals (ODI) and one T20 International -- a series that will clash with the early stages of the Big Bash, which bowls off a week prior to Christmas.

And Brathwaite, who is trying to forge an international career in all the three formats, said he was focussed on making the West Indies squad for the full series.

"If I'm not in New Zealand, and an opportunity presents itself here - I'm not in New Zealand for whatever reason, and I'm available - I'd love to come back to Sydney and the BBL," he said on Tuesday.

Brathwaite's commitment to the West Indies was already evident in his decision to return to the Caribbean following Thunder's final preliminary game on Wednesday, to represent his native Barbados Pride in the Regional Super50.

The tournament, the Caribbean's premier 50-overs competition, is a requirement for the West Indies players in order to be eligible for selection in the ODI format.