BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — West Indies middle order batsman Marlon Samuels may be on the verge of a return to international cricket after sustaining an eye injury during the Big Bash League in Australia last December.

Samuels, who was ruled out of the 15-man squad for the ODI series in Australia as well as the current series against Zimbabwe, will play for the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre squad against Zimbabwe this week.

He was sidelined after being struck by a bouncer from Lasith Malinga while playing for the Melbourne Renegades against the Melbourne stars.

Samuels has been named alongside West Indies pacer Kemar Roach to represent the HPC against Zimbabwe in a three-day contest from Thursday to Saturday at the Desmond Haynes Oval at the Carlton Cricket Club complex.

The teams will be allowed to use 13-players-per-side with 11 allowed to bat in a game that will be a minimum of 90 overs a day.

First ball is 10:00 am (9:00 am Jamaica Time).

Samuels and Roach are listed in the Top 20 of the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings.

Roach, the 24-year-old new ball bowler, is at number 12 in the bowling, while Samuels, the experienced middle-order batsman, is at number 18 in the batting.

Zimbabwe will use the match as a warm-up for the upcoming two-Test Series against the West Indies.