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| Kemar Roach | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kemar Roach |
| Country | West Indies |
| Fullname | Kemar Andre Jamal Roach |
| Birth date | 1988-06-30 |
| Birth place | Saint Lucy, Barbados |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Bowling | Right-arm fast |
| Role | Bowler |
| Testdebutdate | 2008-03-06 |
| Testdebutfor | West Indies |
| Testdebutagainst | South Africa |
| Odi debutdate | 2008-07-31 |
| Odi debutfor | West Indies |
| Odi debutagainst | Zimbabwe |
| T20idebutdate | 2008-07-02 |
| T20idebutfor | West Indies |
| T20idebutagainst | Canada |
Kemar Roach is a Barbadian international cricketer who has represented the West Indies across Test, ODI, and T20I formats as a right-arm fast bowler. Known for his pace and ability to swing the ball, he has played domestic cricket for Barbados and featured in franchise tournaments such as the IPL, BBL, and CPL. Roach emerged from the Caribbean pace tradition alongside contemporaries from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana and has been a key figure in West Indies bowling line-ups through the 2010s and 2020s.
Born in Saint Lucy on 30 June 1988, Roach attended local schools in Barbados and came through junior pathways linked to the Barbados Cricket Association and club cricket in Bridgetown. He progressed through youth setups that have produced players like Sir Garfield Sobers, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Desmond Haynes, and Gordon Greenidge. Early coaches and mentors in Barbadian cricket circles connected him with academies associated with the WICB and development programs that also served players from Trinidad, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Roach made his first-class debut for Barbados in regional competitions such as the Regional Four Day Competition and the Regional Super50. He has played club cricket in England for county sides, appearing in the County Championship with teams that included Warwickshire, Hampshire, and guest stints linked to former West Indies stars like Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Darren Sammy. In franchise cricket Roach featured in the CPL for franchises including Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Tridents, and in the IPL and BBL he shared dressing rooms with players such as Chris Gayle, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Glenn Maxwell, and Kane Williamson. His domestic career also took him to leagues in Pakistan and South Africa, playing alongside and against internationals like Shane Watson, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, and James Anderson.
Roach debuted for the West Indies in Tests against South Africa and in limited overs against Zimbabwe and Canada in 2008. He formed part of West Indies squads alongside veterans such as Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, and contemporaries including Jason Holder, Kemar Roach cannot be linked, Shawn Richards; (note: name restrictions apply). Roach produced notable performances in series against England, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan. He recorded five-wicket hauls in Test matches and was instrumental in West Indies victories in series and Tests played at venues such as Kensington Oval, Sabina Park, Lord's, The Oval, MCG, and Eden Park. Roach battled injuries alongside teammates like Shannon Gabriel, Jerome Taylor, Darren Sammy, and Chris Gayle while contributing to campaigns at ICC World Cups and ICC World Twenty20 tournaments.
As a right-arm fast bowler, Roach relies on pace, seam position, and ability to move the ball through the air and off the pitch, drawing comparisons with West Indian greats such as Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, and Colin Croft. Analysts from networks like ESPNcricinfo, Sky Sports, BBC Sport, and Fox Sports have noted his repeatable wrist position, run-up rhythm, and ability to extract bounce at venues like Wanderers Stadium, Gabba, and Eden Gardens. He has adapted to white-ball cricket techniques promoted by coaches from England and Australia, working with pace consultants who have trained players including Dale Steyn, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Broad, and James Anderson.
Roach's Test and limited-overs records include multiple five-wicket hauls, wicket tallies against major nations like England, Australia, India, and South Africa, and milestones achieved at grounds such as Kensington Oval and Trent Bridge. Statistical aggregators and databases such as ESPNcricinfo, ICC, Wisden, and CricketArchive document hisinnings, strike rates, averages, and match impacts across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. He ranks among leading West Indies pacemen in wicket counts and has influenced series outcomes recorded in annual reviews produced by ICC and cricket historians like Gideon Haigh, Christopher Martin-Jenkins, and Simon Hughes.
Roach's personal life is tied to Barbados where he participates in community initiatives linked to cricket development programs run by the WICB and local charities supported by sporting figures such as Dwayne Bravo, Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Usain Bolt. He has been involved in mentorship and coaching clinics that engage youth from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Grenada, and Saint Lucia, often collaborating with former players like Courtney Browne and Samuel Badree. Off the field, Roach has appeared in media interviews on platforms such as BBC Sport, Sky Sports, and ESPNcricinfo and has worked with agents and franchises that represent international cricketers including Virat Kohli, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, and Ricky Ponting.
Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:West Indian cricketers Category:Barbadian cricketers