Seasoned all-rounder Dwayne Bravo believes West Indies selectors erred by overlooking experienced middle order batsman Marlon Samuels for the upcoming ICC World Cup.

The 38-year-old Samuels, a veteran of 207 one-day internationals, was a notable omission when the Robert haynes-led selection panel announced their 15-man squad for the May 30 to July 14 showpiece last month.

More surprisingly, Samuels was not included on the 10-man reserve list announced last week.

Samuels helped West Indies secure their World Cup berth last march in Zimbabwe, scoring 231 runs an average of 33, as the Caribbean reached the finals of the qualifying tournament.

However, he struggled on tours of India and Bangladesh later that year, averaging just 16 in eight matches with a highest score of 26, and was not a part of the squad which drew 2-2 in a five-match series with England in the Caribbean earlier this year.

Overall, he has nearly 6 000 ODI runs at an average of 32 with 10 hundreds, and has long been regarded as a match-winner, especially in tournament finals.

Bravo said only injury could have kept Samuels out of the world cup side.

West Indies retained the core of the squad from the England series which meant there was also no room for all-rounder Rovman Powell who captained the side on the tour of Bangladesh last December when Jason holder was ruled out through injury.

Powell, too, was part of the West Indies qualifying campaign, averaging 44 and hitting his maiden ODI hundred – 101 against Ireland.

Bravo said the Jamaican’s exclusion raised questions over the selection process.