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The experienced Simmons was ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury.
"The 24-year-old left-handed batsman will join the team ahead of the start of the global event," the West Indies Cricket Board said in a statement.
Lewis has represented Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean T20 and the Champions League and impressed chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd, who led West Indies to two 50-over World Cup triumphs.
"Evin Lewis a young and exciting batsman who we believe he will fit into the team set-up very well. He has the ability to perform at this level of the game," Lloyd said.
"His selection is in keeping with our policy to give exposure to young, talented players we believe will help to carry West Indies cricket forward," he added.
Allrounder Kieron Pollard was ruled out of the World Twenty20 due to a knee injury, spinner Sunil Narine is still working to fix his illegal bowling and allrounder Darren Bravo has opted to focus on the longer formats of the game.
West Indies, T20 world champions in 2012, arrived in Kolkata on Monday after a two-week training camp in the United Arab Emirates.
They have warm-up matches against India on Thursday, and Australia on Sunday.
The Caribbean team have been drawn in Group 1 of the Super 10 stage along with England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and one of the first-round qualifiers.
West Indies squad: Darren Sammy (captain), Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor
