The 12-member squad will be led by Ashmini Munisar with Shalini Samaroo as the vice-captain. The selectors originally named 15 players but three were unable to secure visas to make the tour. Munisar is a right-handed batter and off-spinner, while Samaroo is a left-handed batter and off-spinner.
The team has a number of other exciting all-rounders that include Djenada Joseph, who was the leading run-maker in the CWI Rising Stars U19 T20 tournament played last month. The most experienced player is Zaida James, the left-handed batter, who was travelling reserve for the West Indies Women’s Senior team earlier this year. Last year she represented West Indies Women’s “A” Team against Pakistan's “A” Team.
Steve Liburd has been appointed head coach. Liburd is a former Leeward Islands batsman and West Indies Men’s U19s assistant coach. Merissa Aguilleira, the former West Indies Women’s captain, is the team manager.
Both teams have qualified for the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup taking place in South Africa in January 2023 and this upcoming series will be ideal preparation for the global event.
“History has been created with the selection of this West Indies Under-19 team. No cricket tournaments were played during the pandemic, and it was therefore not only important, but also an eye-opener to view the girls in the recent U19 tournament,” said Ann Browne-John, Lead Selector for West Indies Women.
“The selectors were extremely pleased with the quality of skill shown by these young players. The team has a good mix of batting and bowling including some left-handers.
“There are a few players including the captain Ashmini Munisar and Djenaba Joseph who recently played major roles for their senior teams in the regional tournament in Guyana. This series as well as a few other planned upcoming events would help the players in their development thrust as they prepare for the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in January.”
The first two games will be held under floodlights at 6:30 pm starting on Monday 8 August and Tuesday 9 August. The remaining three matches in the series will all be daylight games with 10:30 am starts on Thursday 11 August and Friday 12 before the fifth and final match of the series on Sunday 14 August.
FULL SQUAD: Ashmini Munisar (Captain), Shalini Samaroo (Vice-Captain), Asabi Callender, Najanni Cumberbatch, Realeanna Grimmond, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, KD-Jazz Mitchell, Ashley Ramnath, Samara Ramnath, Shunelle Sawh, Kate Wilmot.
MATCH SCHEDULE: 8 August: 1st Women’s U19 T20I – 6:30 pm (5:30 pm Jamaica); 9 August, 2nd Women’s U19 T20I – 6:30 pm (5:30 pm Jamaica), 11 August, 3rd Women’s U19 T20I – 10:30 am (9:30 am Jamaica), 12 August, 4th Women’s U19 T20I – 10:30 am (9:30 am Jamaica),14 August: 5th Women’s U19 T20I – 10:30 am (9:30 am Jamaica).
Experienced right-handed/wicketkeeper batter Natasha McLean makes a return to the West Indies Women’s team since she last played the five-match T20I series against England in Derby in 2020. However, Shemaine Campbelle, initially named in the 17-member squad has unfortunately been ruled out of the full eight-match white ball Series with an injury.
“The CG United ODI Series against New Zealand is another opportunity to continue to build the team. The panel once again has blended developing and senior players," said Lead Selector Anne Brown-John.
"Unfortunately, Shemaine Campbelle has been ruled out of the series through injury. While this is a blow to both the batting and wicket-keeping departments, it allows the upcoming wicket keepers to showcase their talent. It is hoped that particularly the batters will use this CG United ODI series to get some big scores which will boost confidence.”
West Indies Women’s squad for 1st and 2nd CG United ODIs: Hayley Matthews (Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Kyshona Knight, Natasha McLean, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman (Vice-Captain), Stafanie Taylor and Rashada Williams.
Cherry-Ann Fraser, Sheneta Grimmond and Jannillea Glasgow are the reserves.
The 24-year-old Barbadian was the best of the West Indies Women with 260 runs including a match-winning century of 119 against New Zealand. She also took 10 wickets with her off-spin and had her best figures of 4-15 against Bangladesh.
Her performances played a major role in helping the West Indies Women advance to the semi-finals for the first time since 2013. As such, Cricket West Indies (CWI) congratulated Matthews on making the Most Valuable Team of the tournament.
Anne Brown-John, Lead Selector for Women’s Cricket also praised the team for their showing at the tournament and the strides made to finish among the top four and climb up the ICC Women’s ODIs standings.
“I will like to congratulate the team on reaching the World Cup semi-final. The team went into the competition in the lower half of the standings and ended in the top four,” she said.
“For this, the players and staff must be complimented. The selectors put together what we considered to be the best 18 available players for the World Cup and we are confident that they did their best. Everyone would like to get to the final but it did not happen this time.
“Despite this, there were some really remarkable performances and Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin were beacons resulting in Hayley being named to the ICC team of the World Cup. This is well deserved since she was one of the outstanding players of the tournament both with the bat and the ball. For this, she must be commended.”
Matthews, meanwhile, said her success at the World Cup was due mainly to hard work on her part.
“I’ve put a lot of hard work leading up to the tournament and to be selected to the Best XI is a reward for that,” she said.
“I must admit that it’s bittersweet because we didn’t make it to the final but the fight we’ve shown throughout the tournament signifies the growth we’ve had as a team.
“Getting a century is always a momentous occasion but getting a World Cup hundred was, I think, just a bit more special for me and definitely up there in being quite memorable. The opportunity to contribute with the ball as well has been really pleasing, knowing that if it doesn’t go my way with the bat on that day, I can still contribute otherwise.”
Meg Lanning was named captain of the Most Valuable Team after guiding her side to the title and scoring 394 runs during the tournament.
Four Australians were selected to the team, including Player-of-the-Tournament Alyssa Healy. The wicket-keeper-batter made two centuries in the knockout stages, including 170 in the final against England.
Most Valuable Team: Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Alyssa Healy (Australia) – wicket-keeper, Meg Lanning (Australia) – captain, Rachael Haynes (Australia), Nat Sciver (England), Beth Mooney (Australia), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Sophie Ecclestone (England), Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Salma Khatun (Bangladesh) and 12th-woman Charlie Dean (England).
Matthews, who is one of the leading all-rounders in world cricket, will assume the leadership role from Stafanie Taylor ahead of the next West Indies Women’s Series, expected to be played later this year.
Taylor, the most successful female player in West Indies history and ranked among the all-time greats, has led the team for over seven years since 2015. She was at the helm when West Indies won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2016 and earlier this year when they reached the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.
CWI Women’s Selection Panel recommendation was ratified at the CWI Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, 24 June.
“The selection panel has done a review of the team including the leadership. After this review the panel took the decision to recommend that Hayley Matthews takes over the role as captain,” said Lead Selector for Women’s cricket Ann Browne-John, who thanked Stafanie for her years in the role.
“Hayley has made notable progress over the years, serving as vice-captain of the West Indies Women’s Team and is the current Captain of her National Team, Barbados. She has matured as a player and is one of the leading players worldwide with a good grasp of the game. Given the experience that she would have gained in both roles, we are confident this is the ideal time for her to step into the role of captain.
“We recognize that leading the team for seven years is a considerable achievement to which Stafanie has given huge levels of commitment and energy. We believe Stafanie is a world-class performer who will no doubt continue to add tremendous value to the team as one of the top all-rounders in the game.”
West Indies Women Head Coach Courtney Walsh endorsed the change in leadership.
“The selection panel felt that it was time to make the change. We figured the timing was right with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup coming up early next year, if we were thinking of making any changes now would be the best time so that we give the new captain a couple of series under her belt before she enters into a World Cup,” Walsh said.
“Hayley Matthews is young, she has longevity in the game, and she can lead the team for a longer time to get the experience and we are here to support her. For us it’s a win-win as we will have Stafanie to concentrate on her best cricket and passing on guidance to Hayley as she grows in the role of taking the team forward.”
Hayley Matthews expressed her pride and gratitude in the appointment.
“I am both humbled and honored to be given the opportunity to Captain the West Indies Women’s Team. It is definitely an exhilarating feeling and I welcome the experience to lead and learn with open arms,” she said.
“This team has been very close to my heart from the beginning of my professional career eight years ago and the influence of Stafanie’s leadership throughout those eight years has played a major role in the player I am today. I eagerly anticipate working with the players to continue building on the progress in which the team has made thus far.
“I would like to thank Stafanie for her astounding leadership of the team over the years. We’ve accomplished some of our biggest milestones with her at the forefront and I look forward to continuing playing alongside her.”
Matthews and Taylor have both been among the best players for West Indies. In her career, Taylor has scored 5,298 runs in 145 One-Day Internationals and 3,121 runs in 111 T20 Internationals. She has also taken 152 wickets in ODIs and 98 in T20Is. Matthews, like Taylor is a right-handed top-order batter and off-break bowler. She has an impressive international record with 1,764 runs and 78 wickets in 69 ODIs, and 1,055 runs and 58 wickets in 61 T20Is.
All six Regional Under-19 teams returned to competition in the West Indies Rising Stars Women’s U19 Championship held in Trinidad in July, following two years without any regional age-group cricket due to the coronavirus pandemic. Following the tournament, fifteen (15) of the twenty-two (22) players identified, played a historic five-match U19 T20 International (T20I) series against the USA at the Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida in August.
The CWI Selection Panel had the opportunity to see the team at play for the first time and despite the 4-1 loss to the USA, were pleased with the opportunity for West Indies Women’s Under 19 players to get international match experience and for the Panel to better understand the talent within the group. This team is historical, as it is the first ever West Indies Under-19 Women's team.
CWI’s Lead Selector for Women’s cricket, Ann Browne-John said: “The Rising Stars Under 19 tournament saw a welcome return to competition for young women in the region. Following the tournament, these twenty-two (22) players have been shortlisted to prepare for the World Cup in January in South Africa, as well as some additional preparation matches. After the long pandemic disruption, it was refreshing for the selectors to see some new talent which augers well for future development. This pool, apart from World Cup participation, can also serve as a feeder for the senior team. It contains a great mix of players both right and left-handed and a variety of up-and-coming bowlers.”
The Rising Stars age-group tournaments within CWI’s Future Stars programme play a crucial role in the growth and development of the next generation of cricketers in the region. These tournaments are a key component in the system for identifying the West Indies U19 Men’s and Women’s teams. This provides the best opportunity for our most talented players to thrive and develop further with the goal of ultimately feeding into the West Indies Senior Men’s and Women’s teams.
One of the players shortlisted is opening right-handed batter and captain of Trinidad and Tobago women’s U19 team, Shalini Samaroo. Samaroo was part of the squad to play in the five-match T20I Series in Florida and she emerged as the Player of the Series. Speaking to CWI Media, Samaroo said, “It was a dream come through to be selected to play for the West Indies, because it was one of my goals as a cricketer to be able to wear the Maroon colours.”
Samaroo added, “It was a learning experience for me, new coaches, new teammates, understanding different personalities and abilities. I am happy that we got to play in the Rising Stars tournament again after the delay due to COVID-19. We have all been working hard on our games waiting for this tournament to put our skills on show to the selectors and coaches and I am happy that I was one of the twenty-two to be selected as the best Under-19 women cricketers in the region.”
The West Indies Rising Stars Women’s Under 19 team are due to have a training camp and trial matches in Trinidad in October, before playing an away series against India in November as part of the preparation plans for the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup South Africa in January 2023.
PROVISIONAL WEST INDIES WOMEN’S U19 PLAYER POOL
- Asabi Callendar
- Kenika Cassar
- Jahzara Claxton
- Naijanni Cumberbatch
- Destiny Edward
- Jannillea Glasgow
- Realeanna Grimmond
- Trishan Holder
- Zaida James
- Djenaba Joseph
- Maria La Foucade
- Namiah Marcellin
- K D Jazz Mitchell
- Ashmini Munisar
- Niveena Ramnath
- Cyanna Retemiah
- Selena Ross
- Shalini Samaroo
- Shunelle Sawh
- Lena Scott
- Abini St Jean
- Kate Wilmott
