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Johannesburg - West Indies batsman Chris Gayle on Sunday called the non-selection of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard for the World Cup astounding.
Gayle's comments come a day after the West Indies squad for the quadrennial tournament, starting in February in Australia and New Zealand, was named missing the two key players.
Watch: Gayle lambastes West Indies board
"There's no way you can tell me those guys shouldn't be in the team," Gayle said after the second T20 international series match against the Proteas in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The left-handed opening batsman scored a match-winning 90 from 41 balls in the West Indies' four-wicket triumph over South Africa at the Wanderers.
Gayle became emotional when pressed for the reason why the pair were not included.
"For me it's got to be victimisation towards those two guys. Come on guys, it's just ridiculous. Honestly, it choked me up."
The opinions expressed by Gayle meant the rift between players and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) was not over after the players pulled out of the fifth and final ODI against hosts India in October over a pay dispute with the board.
The remaining ODI, one T20 International (T20I) and the three-Test series were all cancelled.
Bravo was the captain for that ill-fated tour, and led the player revolt which could be seen as the reason why he was not selected for the World Cup squad.
"I'm really glad we won this series for Pollard and Bravo," Gayle said.
"I don't know what they're (the WICB) thinking is behind all this."
Bravo and Pollard shared more than 250 ODIs between them, and Gayle said he had been told the board's decision to leave the pair out was because the WICB were building for the future.
"Bravo said to me the team they selected is to build for the next World Cup, which I can't understand," he said.
"What they're telling us then, is this team selected is not going there to win the World Cup.
"Building for the next World Cup is ridiculous. I cannot understand what Bravo told me."
The two players were also not included in the upcoming five-match ODI series against South Africa starting on Friday in Durban.
"I don't know what the history behind it is. It's ridiculous selection from my point of view.
"To actually not have them in the side leading up to the World Cup as well. I don't know where our cricket is heading with this sort of situation. It's really sad."
The tourists were outclassed by the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series 2-0, with one match drawn due to rain.
The turnaround was immediate in the T20 series where Gayle, Pollard and Bravo made their return.
"We actually won the T20 series with our best team and now there will be changes with two of our biggest players in ODI cricket not involved.
"That's really sad and a big blow for us to actually lose two key players - key all-rounders as well."
