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Wellalage and Fernando star in Sri Lanka's landmark ODI win over India

Fernando struck 96 from 102 deliveries to see the hosts score 248-7, leaving their opponents with an uphill task in difficult conditions at the R. Premadasa Stadium. 

And having struggled in the second Test with Sri Lanka's spin bowlers, India did so again as Wellalage posted figures of 5-27 to secure a landmark victory. 

Sri Lanka's opening three batsmen took the fight to India early on, with Pathum Nissanka (45), Fernando and Kusal Mendis (59) leaving them 183-3 in the 37th over. 

Riyan Parag took three wickets as the Lions gave their opponents a target of 249 to draw the series, a task they found difficult from the beginning. 

Captain Rohit Sharma (35) and Shubman Gill (six) fell early, with the Men in Blue's batting line-up crumbling to 82-6 by the 12th over. 

Washington Sundar's 30 from 25 deliveries offered hope of a comeback, but Wellalage confirmed the triumph in just 26.1 overs with the wicket of Kuldeep Yadav to end India's 13-game unbeaten ODI run. 

"We are in a really good mood right now, especially our coach," said Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka.

"He made a few changes in the team, and the boys really enjoyed the team environment."

Data Debrief: Sri Lanka end India ODI hoodoo

Sri Lanka's last bilateral ODI series victory over India was in August 1997, with India unbeaten in the next 13 such series, with 11 wins and two drawn series.

The win marked the Lions' first limited-overs series under new captain Asalanka and interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya after Chris Silverwood's departure. 

Wellington washout as New Zealand and India left frustrated

The teams, both beaten in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last week, were looking to start afresh at Sky Stadium on Friday.

However, persistent rain meant there was no prospect of play, with the first action in the series now set to take place on Sunday at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

The tourists have rested captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul for this series, while New Zealand have won their past four multi-game bilateral T20I series and will attempt to extend that to five for the first time.

India were the last team to beat New Zealand in such a series, achieving a 3-0 success a year ago.

West Indies and India fined for slow over rate in first ODI in Trinidad

India was fined five per cent of their match fee for falling one over short of the minimum over rate, while West Indies have been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for falling two overs short of the minimum over rate.

Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Hardik Pandya and Rovman Powell’s sides were ruled to be one and two overs short respectively of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined five per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, subject to a cap of 50 per cent of the match fee.

Pandya and Powell pleaded guilty to the offences and accepted the proposed sanctions, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Gregory Brathwaite and Patrick Gustard, third umpire Nigel Duguid and fourth umpire Leslie Reifer leveled the charges.

West Indies earn two spots on U19 Cricket World Cup team of the tournament

The young West Indies finished fifth in the competition won by Bangladesh, who were claiming their maiden world title.

Despite not making it to the semi-final, the West Indies did have some impressive performances with both bat and ball.

Young, for instance, became the first West Indian to take a five-for (5-45) and score a half century (66) in an under-19 match when he helped the side to a dominant victory over England in the first round. His 61 was also instrumental in helping the West Indies get past Australia.

Young would end the tournament with an average of 28 with the bat and eight wickets from six games at an average of 26.75.

For his performances, Young makes the side as the designated number six batsman.

Understandably, further down the order lies Seales, who is an out-and-out strike bowler, having taken 10 wickets with a best of 4-19 against Australia at an impressive average of 18.3. He was also miserly when not taking wickets, ending the tournament with an economy rate of 3.89 runs per over.

Only India and Bangladesh have more players in the team of the tournament with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Bishnoi and Kartik Tyagi, making the cut.

Tournament winners Bangladesh have Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shahadat Hossain making the team as batsmen, with Akbar Ali chosen to keep wicket.

Afghanistan, like the West Indies, have two players in the side with Ibrahim Zadran and Shafiqullah Ghafari making the cut.

Canada’s Akil Kumar is the team’s 12th man.

West Indies face uphill struggle to save second Test; 76-2 at stumps, needing a further 289 for unlikely victory

When play resumes on Monday, Tagenarine Chanderpaul will carry on from 24 and Jermaine Blackwood 20. They and their fellow batters will have to produce something extraordinary of the West Indies are to avoid being swept 2-0 in the series that has so far been a lop-sided affair.

On Sunday, the West Indies resumed from their overnight score of 229-5 with Alick Athanaze on 37 and Jason Holder on 11. Athanaze did not add to his overnight score, trapped lbw by Munesh Kumar. Holder added four when Mohammed Siraj had him caught behind for 15.

There was little resistance after that as Siraj tore through the lower order to end with figures of 5-60. Kumar took 2-48 while Ravindra Jadeja had 2-37 as the West Indies folded for 255.

With a commanding lead of 183 runs, India propelled by half-centuries from Rohit Sharma, who made 57 and Ishan Kishan 52 not out, raced to 181-2 declared in just 24 overs.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal added 38 and Shubman Gill was unbeaten on 29 when the declaration came.

Jomel Warrican, who dismissed Jaiswal, took 1-36 while Shannon Gabriel took the wicket of Sharma to end with 1-33.

Chasing an unlikely target of 365, the West Indies were in trouble early as Ravichandran Ashwin, who has terrorized the West Indies batters during the series dismissed Brathwaite for 28 and Kirk McKenzie for a duck.

Chanderpaul and Blackwood have so far added 32 for the third wicket and will need to add much more on Monday, if the West Indies are to have any chance of surviving the final two days without crumbling to yet another humiliating defeat.

West Indies go 1-0 up over India in T20I series after four-run win in nail-biter

The hosts posted a subpar 149-6 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Captain Rovman Powell hit a 32-ball 48 to lead the West Indies while Nicholas Pooran, fresh off a brilliant 137* to lead MI New York to the Major League cricket title on Sunday, continued his good form with 41 off 34 balls.

Powell hit three fours and as many sixes while Pooran hit two fours and two maximums.

Brandon King had earlier hit 28 as Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh each took two wickets.

India’s chase didn’t start well losing openers Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan in the first powerplay with just 28 runs on the board.

A 39-run third wicket partnership between Suryakumar Yadav and debutant Tilak Varma provided some stability for the Indians before they fell in quick succession leaving India 77-4 after 11 overs.

Varma made a top score of 39 while Yadav made 21.

Hardik Pandya (19), Sanju Samson (12) and Axar Patel (13) were next to go.

India eventually found themselves 140-8 needing 10 to win off the last over with Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh at the crease facing Romario Shepherd.

The first ball of the last over saw Shepherd bowl a brilliant Yorker to dismiss Yadav. India lost a second wicket in the over when Singh was run out by Shimron Hetmyer for 11 leaving India needing six runs of the last ball with one wicket in hand.

In the end, Shepherd’s last ball was hit for just a single by Mukesh Kumar meaning India ended up 145-9, securing the win and a 1-0 series lead for the hosts.

Jason Holder was excellent with the ball with 2-19 from his four overs while Shepherd and Obed McCoy also took a pair of wickets, each.

The second T20I will take place on Sunday at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

West Indies go down by 68-runs to India in first T20I

West Indian captain Nicholas Pooran won the toss and elected to field first.

India’s opening pair of returning captain Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav got the ball rolling, putting on a partnership of 44 before Yadav was dismissed by Jason Holder for a quick 16-ball 24.

Captain Sharma provided a steady head for the Indians throughout the majority of the innings as he lost partners Shreyas Iyer (0), Rishabh Pant (14) and Hardik Pandya (1) before eventually being dismissed in the 15th over for a top score of 64 to leave the tourists 127-5.

They eventually got up to 190-6 off their 20 overs thanks to cameos from Ravindra Jadeja (16) and Ravichandran Ashwin (13) as well as a brilliant closing effort of 41 from just 19 balls including four fours and two sixes from Dinesh Karthik.

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein was brilliant for the hosts with an economical 1-14 from his four overs while opening pacer Obed McCoy took 1-30 from his four.

The West Indian reply got off to a fast start thanks to openers Kyle Mayers and Shamarh Brooks as the pair sped to 22-0 in the second over before Mayers fell for 15 to pacer Arshdeep Singh.

The Windies then tried to gamble, sending Jason Holder up the order to bat at three but this move fell flat as he was next to go, bowled by Ravindra Jadeja for a duck.

The innings then ground to a virtual halt as Brooks (20), Nicholas Pooran (18), Rovman Powell (14), Shimron Hetmyer (14), Akeal Hosein (11) and Odean Smith (0) all perished to, eventually, leave the Windies needing 90 off 21 balls for victory.

Keemo Paul and Alzarri Joseph then finished not out on 19 and 5, respectively, to end the innings on 122-8, 68 runs short.

It was a balanced bowling effort by the Indians with Ravichandran Ashwin (2-22 off four overs), Arshdeep Singh (2-24 off four overs) and Ravi Bishnoi (2-26 off four overs) all contributing well.

West Indies lose second ODI by 44 runs as India take 2-0 lead in three-match series

The West Indies lost the first match on Sunday by six wickets.

West Indies won the toss and sent India to bat and their bowlers justified the decision restricting India to 237-9.  After Kemar Roach dismissed Rohit Sharma for five, Odean Smith backed him up with the wickets of Risbah Pant and Virat Kohli for 18 each as India slipped to 43-3 in the 12th over.

A 90-run partnership between Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul held the West Indies up until 30th over when Rahul was run out for 49. Yadav and Washington Sundar added 43 for the fifth wicket before Nathan Allen had the former caught behind for a well-played 64.

Akeal Hosein claimed the wicket of Sundar for 24 and India struggled to push for a more challenging score as Jason Holder dismissed Deepak Hooda for 29 and Alzarri Joseph took the wickets of Shardul Thakur for eight and Mohammed Siraj for 3 as the Indian innings closed without flourish.

Yuzvendra Chahal was unbeaten on 11.

Smith was the best of the West Indies bowlers with 2-29 while Joseph took 2-36. There was a wicket each for Holder, Hosein, Roach and Allen.

With a target that required scoring below five runs an over, the West Indies opening pair of Brandon King and Shai Hope shared in a 32-run partnership that set the visitors up for a successful chase. However, once King got out to a rising delivery from Prasidh Krishna for 18, the West Indies’ chase went off the rails.

Hope was the next to go dismissed by Chahal for 27 from 52 balls.

Shamarh Brooks contributed 44 in the middle order but he lost partners frequently as the West Indies slumped to 76-5 in the 22nd over, Krishna picking up the wickets of Darren Bravo for one and Nicholas Pooran for nine along the way.

Hosein provided some lower-order resistance for the West Indies with a stubborn 34 from 52 balls and Smith provided a late flurry to score 24 from 20 balls but the West Indies were bowled out for 193. It was the second time in as many matches that they have failed to score 200.

Krishna returned the remarkable figures of 4-12 from nine overs while Thakur took 2-41.

The final match is set for Friday, February 11.

West Indies name squad for India T20Is

All 15 members of the provisional squad will travel to all matches. There will then be a 13-member squad for each match from which the final XI will be selected.

Wicket-keeper/batsman Shai Hope, and fast bowler Oshane Thomas have earned recalls to this format. Thomas played his last match in this format in Pakistan in December 2021 while Hope played his last match in India in February 2022.

Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “The squad is selected with the next ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in mind. We are looking at various plans as we try to find the right combinations. As we prepare; we are looking to build a unit which we believe can do the job when we host the global event in just under a year. We have some match-winners in our line-up and we will look to have the right kind of preparation, starting here in Trinidad on Thursday.”

Haynes added: “We also have other players who could come into consideration going forward, with the Caribbean Premier League starting next month, others will come into the reckoning.”

The Brian Lara Cricket Academy will host the opening match on Thursday. The teams then move to the Guyana National Stadium for the second and third fixtures on Sunday 6 August and Tuesday 8 August.

The series will climax with the blockbuster weekend at the Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida for the final matches on Saturday 12 August and Sunday 13 August. All matches start at 10:30am local time (9:30am Jamaica Time).

Tickets for the matches are available from box offices at Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain; the National Cricket Centre in Couva, Trinidad and the Guyana Cricket Board headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. Additionally, tickets are available online in advance from the Windies Tickets service, presented by Mastercard at tickets.windiescricket.com .

Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20% discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best and shaded views in each stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.

Tickets are also available for the Tribe Party Stand in Trinidad with all-inclusive drinks and light food options. CWI has also announced that West Indies hospitality by the Red Stand will be on sale for the first time with tickets for the hospitality suites. This is a premium all-inclusive experience in air-conditioned suites, with outdoor viewing and fully inclusive premium food and drink options.

For the matches at the Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida there will be VVIP and VIP hospitality packages available providing patrons with a great experience.

FULL SQUAD

Rovman Powell (Captain)

Kyle Mayers (Vice Captain)

Johnson Charles

Roston Chase

Shimron Hetmyer

Jason Holder

Shai Hope

Akeal Hosein

Alzarri Joseph

Brandon King

Obed McCoy

Nicholas Pooran

Romario Shepherd

Odean Smith

Oshane Thomas

Match Schedule

Kuhl Stylish Fans T20I Series powered by Black and White

3 August: 1st T20I, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad 

6 August: 2nd T20I, National Stadium, Guyana 

8 August: 3rd T20I, National Stadium Guyana 

12 August: 4th T20I, Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida 

13 August: 5th T20I, Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida 

  • start time at: 10:30am (9:30am Jamaica)

West Indies names unchanged T20 squad for India T20I series next month

The West Indies will visit India from February 6 to 20, where they will also play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20I. CWI named the ODI team last week.

The three T20Is will be played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 16, 18 and 20, following the three-match ODI series which will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 6, 9 and 11.

“The team has been doing well in the Betway T20I Series against England in Barbados and we decided to stick with the same group of players. They have demonstrated great skill and fight and we expect the same kind of performances on the tour of India,” said lead selector Desmond Haynes.

Kieron Pollard will lead the squad that will comprise Vice-Captain Nicholas Pooran, Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith and Hayden Walsh Jr.

The West Indies are locked 2-2 in the series against England with the decider to be played later today at the Kensington Oval. England won Saturday’s match by 34 runs to level the series.

West Indies off to steady start, after Kohli's century guides India to 438 on day two

Brathwaite ended the day unbeaten on 37, with the Caribbean side at 86-1 in their first innings, still 352 runs behind the visitors, after losing Chanderpaul for 33 shortly before close in this, the 100th Test between the two teams. India lead the two-test series 1-0.

India resumed from their overnight score of 288-4 and though West Indies bowled with some amount of purpose, they couldn’t stop the opponents from posting a daunting 438 all out, just prior to the tea interval.

Kohli scored 121, his first hundred away from home in five years, while Ravendra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, both added half-centuries to what is massive total, give the feeble nature of West Indies batting.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican snared two of the last four wickets to end with 3-89 from 39 overs. He had support from veteran pacer Kemar Roach, who had 3-104 from 22 overs, and Jason Holder, who had 2-57 from 21 overs, as West Indies took the last four Indian wickets for a mere 43 runs.

West Indies started their reply in a solid manner, as Chanderpaul and Brathwaite withstood early pressure from India’s seamers, and later capitalised on the hard, easy-paced surface.

The openers hardly played a stroke wrong and had the bowling at their mercy until Jadeja, bowling his left-arm spin, had Chanderpaul caught at backward point, from an ill-advised lofted drive.

It brought Jamaican debutant Kirk McKenzie to the middle and the young left-handed batsman displayed confidence throughout his half-hour knock which included a lofted drive over long-off for six off Ashwin’s off-spin. He will resume on 14 alongside his captain on Saturday’s third day in which they will be targeting at least 239 to avoid being asked to follow-on.

Earlier, Kohli raised a well-deserved century, partnering with Jadeja in a 159-run fifth wicket stand that pushed India past the 350-run mark.

Kohli’s 76th milestone knock came from 180 balls and included 11 boundaries.

Jadeja reached his 50 from 105 balls, before West Indies grabbed a breakthrough when Kohli was run out by Alzarri Joseph.

Further success came for the hosts five overs later when Roach got Jadeja caught behind for 61 after reviewing a negative verdict from South African umpire Marais Erasmus.

West Indies maintained steady bowling in tough conditions after the visitors continued from their lunchtime total of 373 for six, and it paid dividends, though Ashwin defied them to carve out 56.

Holder had Ishan Kishan caught behind for 25, and after being frustrated by Jaydev Unadkat and Ashwin, they eventually made inroads when Warrican had the former stumped.

The spinner then accounted for Mohammed Siraj for a duck, before Roach brought the innings to a close when he had the last laugh in against Ashwin, who smashed three boundaries off in the same over in is 75-ball 50.

West Indies suffer series defeat to India after 59-run loss in Florida

After winning the toss and electing to field first, the hosts felt the wrath of the Indians from the outset with openers Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav speeding to 53 without loss after just 4.4 overs before Sharma was dismissed for a 16-ball 33 including two fours and three sixes.

Yadav’s dismissal for 24 in the sixth over then paired Deepak Hooda and Rishabh Pant who added a further 47 before Hooda’s wicket fell for 21 in the 12th over to leave the score on 108-3.

Pant went on to top-score with 44 before his dismissal in the 15th over. Sanju Samson (30 not out), Axar Patel (20 not out) and Dinesh Karthik (6) then combined to put the finishing touches on a fine effort with the bat for India, ending 191-5 from their 20 overs.

Alzarri Joseph was the pick of the bowlers for the Windies with 2-29 from his four overs.

The hosts then struggled throughout their reply thanks to some excellent bowling by India and some questionable decision-making by the batsmen.

Brandon King (13) and Kyle Mayers (14) both got starts but fell cheaply while captain Nicholas Pooran sprinted to 24 off just eight balls before he was run out after a mix-up with Mayers.

Rovman Powell with a quick 24, Shimron Hetmyer (19) and Jason Holder (13) were the only other batsmen to reach double-figures as the Windies struggled to a paltry 132 all-out after 19.1 overs.

Arshdeep Singh led the way for the Indians with 3-12 from 3.1 overs while he got good support from Avesh Khan (2-17) and Ravi Bishnoi (2-27).

West Indies to open against Papa New Guinea as fixtures for historic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup revealed

Two-time champions West Indies will kickstart their ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup campaign against Papua New Guinea, as the fixtures for the ninth edition of the tournament was revealed on Friday.

The event to be co-hosted by West Indies and the United States of America is scheduled to run from June 1-29.

West Indies, having won the title in 2012 and 2016, will begin their hunt for a third title against Papa New Guinea at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday, June 2.

This tournament will see a record 20 teams divided into four groups competing across 55 games for the right to be crowned T20 World Cup Champions 2024. Along with the co-hosts, the list also includes Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Uganda.

These 20 teams have been divided into four groups of five, with the top two teams progressing to the Super Eights:

Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and the USA

Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland and Oman

Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda and Papua New Guinea

Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and Nepal

ICC's Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks an exciting expansion of our sport with more teams than ever before set to compete in this event.

"It’s going to be an incredible spectacle bringing together 20 international teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia, East-Asia Pacific and Europe. The release of the fixtures is made even more exciting for fans as we enter a new frontier, with the USA hosting a major ICC event for the first time. With 16 matches being played across three venues in the USA, it allows us to make a statement in the world’s biggest sports market. It will also be great to have an ICC event back in the West Indies, which has such a rich history of the game. It has hosted World Cups with great success in the past and this tournament will certainly provide a boost to the game there, especially with the final being played in Barbados," he said.

The event commences with the two co-hosts starting their campaigns on the first two days of June. United States of America will take on Canada in the tournament opener at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas on Saturday, June 1.

One of cricket’s biggest rivalries will take place in one of the world’s most iconic cities, with New York to host India and Pakistan on Sunday, June 9. The fixture will be played in a cutting-edge 34,000-seat modular stadium just 30 miles east of downtown Manhattan in Nassau County, New York. Eight matches will be played at the venue.

Defending champions England will begin their title defence on Tuesday, June 4, in Barbados against Scotland, and 2022 finalists, Pakistan, will get their challenge going on Thursday, June 6, when they play the United States in Dallas.

Among the plethora of blockbuster matchups scheduled in the group stage, fans can look forward to Sri Lanka taking on South Africa in New York on Monday, June 3, while England will go up against archrivals Australia in Barbados on Saturday, June 8. Another highly anticipated fixture will see the West Indies taking on New Zealand on Wednesday, June 12, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

First-time qualifiers Uganda will play their first ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixture in Guyana against Afghanistan on Monday, June 3. Nepal, who qualified for the T20 World Cup for the first time since 2014, will open their campaign against Sri Lanka in one of four matches to be played at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

Upon completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each of the four groups will move into the Super Eight stage of the competition. Teams seeded first and second in their groups in the first round, will retain that seeding in the Super Eight, provided they qualify. Super Eight matches are scheduled to be played in popular Caribbean tourist destinations Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The two top teams from each group in the Super Eight will progress to the semi-finals, which will be held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 and 27 respectively. The final will be held at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday, June 29.

Johnny Grave, CWI's Chief Executive echoed similar sentiments.

“The announcement of the match schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks a significant milestone in our preparations for this year’s tournament.  We know that teams, fans and cricket enthusiasts worldwide have been eagerly awaiting this announcement, and now that it is available, it provides a roadmap for the thrilling journey that lies ahead. In addition to the match fixtures, the announcement also highlights the host countries and iconic venues that will set the stage for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

“Each host country and city will bring its own unique flavour to the tournament, and fans from every corner of the globe can expect an exciting blend of T20 cricketing entertainment, local culture and warm hospitality. From classic rivalries to history making upsets and continental showdowns, fans can start looking forward to an action-packed month of games at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next June, and we encourage everyone to get tickets as soon as they go on sale as we expect the demand to be high," he noted.

Meanwhile, Peter Hutton, chair of T20 World Cup Incorporated, the entity established in the USA to deliver the event, is excited at the opportunity.

“The USA is already one of cricket’s biggest audiences for ICC events and bringing the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to New York City, Dallas and Florida is a massive opportunity to exponentially grow the sport. We’ve got three fantastic venues to host matches and we strongly encourage fans in the USA and around the world to start planning to secure their tickets for what will be a unique cricket spectacle featuring the best players in the world," said Hutton.

 

West Indies Women fall to tenth T20I defeat in a row after eight wicket loss to India

Captain Hayley Matthews made a top-score of 34 while under-19 player Zaida James made 21 not out as the Windies Women were restricted to just 94-6 off their 20 overs after India won the toss and chose to field first.

Off-spinner Deepti Sharma starred with the ball for India with 3-11 from her four overs while medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar took 2-19 from her four overs.

The Indians then needed just 13.5 overs to achieve victory, reaching 95-2 thanks to an unbeaten 53-run partnership between Jemimah Rodrigues (42 not out) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (32 not out).

West Indies Women have now lost 10 T20 Internationals in a row. India will take on South Africa in the Tri-Series final on Thursday.

West Indies Women select four U19 players for Tri-Series match against India

All-rounders Zaida James and Djenaba Joseph, wicketkeeper/batter Trishan Holder and fast-bowler Jannillea Glasgow have been selected as injury cover for Monday’s final Tri- Series match against India Women at Buffalo Park in East London.

Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Shakera Selman and Chedean Nation are currently going through a return to play rehabilitation ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

“The selection panel has included four Under 19 players for the final match of the Tri-Series as potential replacements for injured players,” said Chief Selector Ann Browne-John.

“The four have been training with the senior team in South Africa since the conclusion of the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup.

“We believe this is the perfect opportunity to utilize these four players, two of whom (Joseph and Holder) made their international debut against England last year, to reinforce the squad in the absence of injured senior players. They have been playing in South African conditions for the past three weeks so are well prepared. With final selection of the ICC T20 World Cup squad still to be done, it gives the selection panel another opportunity to see the best players available and select the best combination to participate.”

Holder and Joseph made their West Indies senior debuts against England last December, while Glasgow and James were travelling reserves with the senior team last year.

During the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup, James struck two half-centuries and had a four-wicket haul, whilst Joseph struck an unbeaten 44 not out in their Super6s match against England. Holder had a well-compiled 34 not out off 14 balls against Indonesia and Glasgow was the spearhead of the bowling attack.

The West Indies Women play India Women on Monday 30 January in the final preliminary match at 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica time).

Full squad: Hayley Matthews (Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shanika Bruce, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow (U19), Sheneta Grimmond, Trishan Holder (U19), Zaida James (U19), Djenaba Joseph (U19), Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz and Rashada Williams.

Match schedule:

16 January: warm-up match vs South Africa XI at Beacon Bay- South Africa won by 4 wickets.

 T20I Tri-Series Match Schedule

 (all matches to be played at Buffalo Park, East London)

 21 January: vs South Africa – South Africa won by 44 runs

 23 January: vs India – India won by 56 runs

 25 January: vs South Africa – South Africa won by 10 wickets

 30 January: vs India, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

 2 February: Tri-Series Final, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica

West Indies Women’s U19 squad named for tour of India

Ashmini Munisar has been named as captain of the 15-member squad with Trishan Holder as vice captain. They will be under the guidance of Head Coach Steve Liburd. Munisar is an allrounder who led the team when West Indies Women's U19 played against USA Women’s U19 in Fort Lauderdale in August. Holder is a top-order batter who was a member of the Barbados team at the Commonwealth Games playing matches against Pakistan, Australia and India.

The upcoming tour will feature matches against India ‘A’ Women U19, India ‘B’ Women U19 and Sri Lanka Women U19 in Visakhapatnam at the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy International Cricket Stadium. West Indies will then travel to Mumbai where they play against New Zealand Women U19 at the D.Y. Patil Stadium.

Matches start at: 9am local (11:30pm previous day Eastern Caribbean/10:30pm previous day Jamaica) and 1pm local time (3:30am same day Eastern Caribbean/2:30am Jamaica).

Lead Selector, Ann Browne-John said: “As part of the preparation for the tour the squad was involved in some practice matches during a seven-day training camp in Trinidad. The final team selected contained some of the players who participated in the series in the USA and there are some new players who the panel would like to have a look at before a final team is selected for the World Cup.”

She added: “The composition of the team is quite balanced with some strong batters and a good mix of spin and medium pacers. It will be their first experience against top international teams and these tour matches will give a better indication of where the team is at the moment.”

This series in the sub-continent will form a crucial part of the team’s preparations for the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023. The global event will feature 41 matches be played from 14 to 29 January in South Africa. The official warm-up matches will be from 9 to 11 January. The 16 participating teams will play in four groups in the preliminary round. West Indies have been drawn in Group C alongside New Zealand, Ireland and Indonesia.

FULL SQUAD 

Ashmini Munisar (captain)

Trishan Holder (vice-captain)

Asabi Callendar

Kenika Cassar

Jahzara Claxton

Naijanni Cumberbatch

Jannillea Glasgow

Realeanna Grimmond

Zaida James

Djenaba Joseph

KDJazz Mitchell

Shalini Samaroo

Shunelle Sawh

Lena Scott

Kate Wilmott

Whatever they get, we'll chase it' – Root lauds England's 'incredible' record chase against India

Having resumed at 259-3 before a lively Edgbaston crowd on Tuesday, England raced to their most impressive victory yet under the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum regime, with Root and Bairstow hitting centuries to complete the highest run chase in the hosts' history and claim a 2-2 draw in the delayed series.

The victory saw England surpass their 359-run chase against Australia in August 2019, as Root made his 28th Test ton in finishing 142 not out.

He and Bairstow registered the highest fourth-wicket partnership in the fourth innings of a men's Test (269), as well as England's fifth-highest fourth-wicket stand in any innings.

Bairstow, meanwhile, also became just the ninth player to hit four Test centuries in England in a calendar year as the home side's entertainers continued their red-ball revival.

England also recorded three successive chases of over 250 runs in their series whitewash of world champions New Zealand last time out, and Root says the team's fearlessness with the bat left them feeling in control throughout day five.

"It was pretty fun doing it. Throughout the whole summer, from that first game, we've said, 'whatever they get, we'll chase it'," Root told Sky Sports. "Ben said to us before the toss: 'We're not going to bat first, we're going to chase.'

"That's the mentality of how we're going about things at the minute. Once we got that partnership going, we just felt in full control.

"So much credit has to go to the two lads at the top [Alex Lees and Zak Crawley], the way they set the platform, the way they shifted the pressure straight back onto India.

"To smash that new ball around on a wicket that was doing a bit was just incredible batting. It really made the work that we had to do afterwards a lot easier. It really was a sublime partnership against a world-class attack.

"The feeling in the dressing room at the moment is 'whatever you get, we're going for it, and we're going to take it down'."

On a personal level, Root added he was enjoying his cricket again after stepping down as captain in April, saying successor Stokes has instilled a newfound ruthlessness in the side.

"When you're enjoying things it makes it a lot easier, you turn up to practice excited, you get out in the middle, and you're up for the contest," Root added.

"I feel in a really good place and I just need to make sure I maintain that. One thing that's worked for me is just accepting it's a game of failure, batting, and you're not going to get it right every time.

"It was good fun, like I said, there was a little bit on offer, but when you're putting pressure on bowlers it's very difficult for them to keep coming hard at you.

"We recognised crucial parts of pressure, I think we soaked it up well at times in the second innings, and then when we got our chances to put it back on them, we did it.

"We were ruthless with it, something that we might have lacked a bit in recent times – especially under my leadership!"

WI kept losing wickets at the wrong time' - vice-skipper Pooran claims team suffered to many soft dismissals

For the fourth straight ODI, the West Indies struggled to occupy the crease for any significant period, this time around in pursuit of India’s of 237, which could hardly be considered as overwhelming in most circumstances.

However, as has become the norm, the team struggled early on at the top of the order, with the first three batsmen combining for 46 runs.  Shamar Brooks and Akeal Hosein managed to put 42 on the board in the middle of the innings and Odean Smith added 24 late on, but chasing even such a modest target would have required plenty more stability and application, particularly at the top of the order.

Pooran, who himself made 9 from 13, insists the team needs to be much better at occupying the crease and carrying on to make notable scores.

“We kept losing wickets after developing partnerships.  Especially losing soft wickets,” Pooran said following the match.

“Every time someone is set, we got out at the wrong time.  The top five top six batsmen did not put up our hands tonight,” he added.

The team headed into the ODI series against India on the back of a particularly rough patch of form, having lost to Ireland for the first time in the format last month.  The Windies will look to avoid a sweep when they face India in the final match on Friday.

WI must embrace the big moments' - captain Pooran wants better performances from team under pressure

Despite switching formats, the Caribbean team failed to snap its losing streak against India after skipper Rohit Sharma's quickfire 64, from 44 deliveries, laid the platform for India to post a challenging 190.  The team was also boosted by an unbeaten 41 off just 19 balls from Dinesh Karthik.

In pursuit of the target, the Windies failed to put any significant partnerships together and the highest individual total of 20 came from Shamarh Brooks.

Their struggles were in large part due to the efforts of India’s spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravi Bishnoi who combined to stifle the Windies at the crease.   In total, the trio picked up five wickets.

“We are going to have games like this where we are going to just get shut out. The batsmen did get starts but we didn’t capitalize on those starts.  We didn’t win the big moments today and it’s as simple as that,” Pooran said following the game.

The team also made changes to its typical batting order, with all-rounder Jason Holder promoted to three.  He was, however, dismissed without scoring by Ravindra Jadeja.

“It was good for us to come out here and experiment a bit.  The guys did show up but we need to hold our nerve in big moments, especially when the pressure is on, we need to embrace it,” he added.

WI not ready to give up on Hetmyer' - Pollard says team looking forward to having batsman back in near future

The 25-year-old batsman was left out of the West Indies' previous series against Ireland and England and also failed to be included in the squad for the ongoing India tour.  The issue stemmed from the fact that the player failed to achieve the basic fitness standards required to be eligible for selection.

It was not the first time Hetmyer had been plagued by the issue as he also failed to get a passing mark in 2020, ahead of the team’s tour of Sri Lanka, and then again later that same year during Sri Lanka’s tour of the West Indies.  The Windies skipper, however, backs the player to get things right in the near future.

"I think the coaches have spoken on their assessment of Shimron. I miss Shimron when he is not around. He is a young player and a superstar in his own right. He will get it right and get back to the West Indies squad pretty soon. I will be looking forward to having him," Pollard told members of the media, ahead of the team’s first T20I against India.

"We know what he can do as an individual and he has a bright future. You can never write off a guy who is 25. My love for Shimron is paramount, and he knows that and we all know that. It is a matter of time for him to do all that is necessary to get back to the team. We will welcome him with open arms."