West Indies Women

Batting first, West Indies fell into early trouble slipping to 38-4 after eight overs. Rashada Williams scored 23 and Chinelle Henry 21 helped the WIW get past the 100-run mark in the face of incisive bowling from Player of the Match Lauren Bell, who took 3-26.

Heather Knight, Nat Sciver, and Katherine Brunt each claimed a wicket against the hosts who limped to 105-7 from their allotment of 20 overs.

Bell then scored an unbeaten 59 from 34 balls as England raced to victory scoring 106-2 in just 12.4 overs. No West Indies bowler managed to claim a wicket as opener Sophia Dunkley and Lauren Winfield-Hill were dismissed by runout for 25 and 15, respectively.

A distraught Henry was critical of her side’s batting after yet another poor showing against their English rivals.

"To be three, four wickets down in the first 10 overs with no kind of runs on the board, that is where we fell short, since the ODI series we've been struggling with the bat,” she said.

“We just have to pick ourselves up and keep going. A couple of us got short partnerships going to get us to 100 but it wasn't enough. It was really good to see little Djenaba Joseph standing up against Katherine Brunt, facing her head on, and to have an Under-19 player in our squad so fearless is a move in a good direction for us."

The series now moves to the Kensington Oval, where the teams will meet for the remaining four matches on December 14, 17, 18 and 22. All matches start at 6:00pm Eastern Caribbean/ 5:00pm Jamaica time.

In the match reduced to 20 overs per side because of persistent rain and a wet outfield, the West Indies were restricted to 89-7. Deandra Dottin, who scored 27, Stafanie Taylor, 18, and Afy Fletcher, 12, were the only batters in double figures as Nida Dar tore through the line-up with 4-10 from her four overs.

Pakistan duly achieved their target without much fuss as opener Muneeba Ali scored 37. Captain Bismah Maroof was unbeaten on 20 and Omaima Sohail 22 not out to lead their team to victory with seven balls to spare.

Shakera Selman with 1-15 from 3.5 overs and Fletcher 1-23 were the wicket-takers for the West Indies Women, who will now face a must-win match against unbeaten South Africa if they are to have any chance to advance.

The CG United ODIs will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (SVRS) in Antigua on 4, 6 and 9 December. The three ODIs form part of the ICC Women's Championship. The first T20I will also be at SVRS on 11 December. The tour then moves to Barbados for four T20Is at Kensington Oval on 14, 17, 18 and 22 December.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews is eagerly looking forward to the upcoming home series as both teams will look use the series as part of their preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to be played in South Africa early next year.

“We are really looking forward to this series against England. It will be hugely important for us. I’m hoping we can pick up some points in the ICC Women’s Championship as we take on a strong opposition at home. We also have our eyes on the ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa. It is always a big thing playing in a World Cup and this will be my first as captain so I will look to lead from the front. We will go in looking to play really good cricket and give it all we have,” she said.

The eighth edition of the marquee event will begin on 10 February 2023 with hosts South Africa taking on Sri Lanka. Cape Town, Paarl and Gqeberha will host the matches in the tournament with the knockout matches set to be played in Cape Town. The final will be held on 26 February.

The 10 teams will be drawn in two groups as follows, Group 1: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh; with Group 2: England, India, West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland.

The first two CG United ODIs will bowl off at 10am (9am Jamaica Time), with the third being a day/night game, starting at 3pm (2pm Jamaica). The three T20Is will commence at 5pm (4pm Jamaica).

The ODIs hold significant weight in this series, as they contribute crucial points to the ICC Women's Championship and the results will therefore directly impact qualification for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 in India.

CWI’s High Performance Manager Graeme West said: “The Ireland Series is the only engagement in the region for the Senior Women in 2023 and its critical we maximize ‘home’ advantage in the three CG United ODIs as we continue our qualification campaign towards the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025. The three T20Is will kick start the preparation towards the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup which the team has already qualified for.”

West added, “Ireland have shown great improvement in recent times and the game between the two sides in February at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa was a thriller. We will need to prepare well for both series with very clear game plans, the squad will get time in St Lucia prior to the first ODI to establish the key roles and focus areas that each player will be required to execute in order to play winning cricket. It’s exciting to be taking international Women’s Cricket back to St Lucia, the island is developing a number of exciting young female players and we hope the Ireland games can inspire more girls to get involved and start their own cricket journeys.”

Fans worldwide can join the excitement as all eight matches will be streamed live on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel. Furthermore, live ball-by-ball scoring will be available on the Match Centre at www.windiescricket.com, ensuring fans do not miss a single moment of the action.

Full match schedule:

All matches at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, St. Lucia

Monday, 26 June: 1^st CG United ODI – 10am (9am Jamaica Time)

Thursday, 29 June: 2^nd CG United ODI – 10am (9am Jamaica Time)

Sunday, 2 July: 3^rd CG United ODI – 3pm (2pm Jamaica Time)

Wednesday, 5 July: 1^st T20I – 5pm (4pm Jamaica Time) 

Friday, 7 July: 2^nd T20I – 5pm (4pm Jamaica Time)

Sunday, 9 July: 3^rd T20I – 5pm (4pm Jamaica Time)

The ICC revealed the fixtures for the two-week qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe, which sees the West Indies Women playing three other Group A opponents - Sri Lanka, Ireland and the Netherlands – in the first phase of the Qualifier on November 23, 27 and 29 respectively.

West Indies will be initially focused on winning their Group A matches to be one of the top three teams to reach the Super6 phase of the Tournament from December 1-5. The Super6 pits the top three teams from Group A against the top three teams from Group B  - consisting of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Zimbabwe and the USA.

Group points will carry over into the Super6 phase with the six teams vying to finish in the top three to qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3.

Head Coach Courtney Walsh emphasized the importance of winning in both the group stage and Super 6s.

 “It is important that we try to win all our group stage matches and also in the Super 6s as only three teams have the chance to qualify. If we do this, we are guaranteed one of the three spots up for grabs. I know it’s going to be very testing mentally and physically for the team as the games are so close to each other but we knew that beforehand and we’ve been preparing as such. I believe we have the right team combination to win as many as we can and qualify for New Zealand 2022,” Walsh said.

The top three qualifiers, as well as the fourth and fifth-placed teams in the Super 6s phase, will also secure places in the next ICC Women's Championship, which is expanding to feature ten teams and will determine automatic qualifiers for the next edition of the ICC Women’s World Cup.

The West Indies Women are currently in Pakistan for a three-match ODI series as part of their final preparations for the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier.

Stafanie Taylor (captain), Anisa Mohammed (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman and Rashada Williams.

Travelling Reserves: Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi and Karishma Ramharack.

The provisional squad includes some exciting new talent, with right-arm off-spinner Ashmini Munisar and wicketkeeper-batter Shunelle Sawh being named for the first time. Both players have shown their potential with the West Indies Rising Stars Under 19s team and have now been called up to the senior West Indies Women’s squad. They will be joining their Rising Stars teammates Zaida James and Djenaba Joseph, who have already gained valuable experience representing the senior team in the Tri-Series against India and South Africa and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year. 

The squad is boosted by Chinelle Henry, the experienced allrounder, who is selected having fully recovered from the injury which kept her out of the recent CG United Super50 Cup and CWI T20 Blaze tournaments. The squad is led by captain Hayley Matthews and vice-captain Shemaine Campbelle. ​ The official squad of thirteen players will be named ahead of each match.

CWI’s Lead Selector for Women’s Cricket, Ann Browne-John, said: “The CG United ODI series against Ireland gives a good opportunity for batters to focus and to stay longer at the crease and build an innings. A number of the younger players would be transitioning from the shorter format to the fifty over format. They definitely have the potential, and it is important that the policy of identifying young players and developing the talent pool is continued.”

Browne-John added: “The squad shows a great balance of batting coupled with a variety of bowling styles, which is something that has been lacking in the recent past. Victory here will provide valuable points as the team attempts to move up in the rankings and qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.”

The matches are West Indies Women’s only home fixture in 2023. ​ The three CG United ODIs comprise West Indies’ third fixture in the ICC Women’s Championship where they are pushing to win points to achieve a top five position to qualify automatically for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025.

Match tickets are available online from the Windies Tickets service, presented by Mastercard - Tickets.windiescricket.com - at a discounted price of US$6/EC$16 (USS3/EC$7.50 children and seniors) with tickets available on the day at the box office at a price of US$7.50/EC$20 (US$3.75/EC$10 for children and seniors).

For fans unable to get to the games in St. Lucia, the CG United ODI Series will be exclusively live on Flow Sports in the Caribbean and on BT Sport in the UK & Ireland. The matches will also be shown around the world on FanCode (India), ESPN+ (USA), Sky NZ (NZ), SuperSport (sub-Saharan Africa) and in all other countries on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel. 

PROVISIONAL SQUAD for 1^st and 2^nd CG United ODIs

• Hayley Matthews (captain)
• Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain)
• Aaliyah Alleyne
• Shamilia Connell
• Chinelle Henry
• Afy Fletcher
• Cherry Ann Fraser
• Shabika Gajnabi
• Zaida James
• Djenaba Joseph
• Qiana Joseph
• Ashmini Munisar
• Karishma Ramharack
• Shunelle Sawh
• Stafanie Taylor
• Rashada Williams

Match Schedule

(All matches played at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St. Lucia.

CG United ODI Series:

Monday 26 June: 1^st CG United ODI – 10am (9am Jamaica Time)

Wednesday 28 June: 2^nd CG United ODI – 10am (9am Jamaica Time)

Saturday 1 July: 3^rd CG United ODI – 3pm (2pm Jamaica Time)

T20 International Series: 

Tuesday 4 July: 1^st T20I

Thursday 6 July: 2^nd T20I 

Saturday 8 July: 3^rd T20I 

All matches start at 5pm Eastern Caribbean Time (4pm Jamaica Time)

The touring squad sees a return for Afy Fletcher, the experienced leg-spinner and right-handed batter, who returns from maternity leave.

The squad also includes three uncapped players: Kaysia Schultz, a left arm orthodox bowler, Mandy Mangru, a right-handed batter, and Jannillea Glasgow, a right-arm medium pacer.

The three newcomers were members of the West Indies Women’s A team, which played against Pakistan Women’s A Team last year.

“The South Africa series comes at an opportune time as the team prepares for the upcoming World Cup. The squad has been preparing and building during the past year, even with the limitations caused by the pandemic and hopefully, they can put it all together. The return of the experienced Afy Fletcher brings added variety to the bowling particularly with the absence of Qiana Joseph who has been ruled out due to injury,” said Ann Browne-John, CWI Lead Selector for Women’s cricket.

“In our drive to continue the expansion of our player pool, the panel has included three young, uncapped players. They are Kaysia Schultz, Mandy Mangru as well as teenager Jannillea Glasgow. Exposure to international cricket at this time will most certainly give them the experience and match time needed to develop and grow their individual talents. The panel believes that this blend of youth and experience will work well as we continue our preparations for the World Cup,” Browne-John added.

The West Indies Women are due to arrive in South Africa on January 16, where they will have a training camp ahead of the warm-up and four-match ODI series against the Proteas Women.

Full squad:

Stafanie Taylor (Captain), Anisa Mohammed (Vice-Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Mandy Mangru, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz, Shakera Selman, Rashada Williams.

Ahead of the first ODI West Indies will have a warm-up match against a South Africa XI on January 25.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Wednesday confirmed a revised schedule as both teams finalize preparations for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup to be played in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3.

West Indies Women were previously scheduled to play three T20 Internationals and five One Day Internationals against South African Women from January 15 to February 6. 

All matches in South Africa will be played in a bio-secure environment at the Imperial Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, a venue close to the teams’ hotel which has been secured for exclusive use due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“There has been a lot of hard work and collaboration with our friends at Cricket South Africa regarding this tour and we are very pleased that we have been able to confirm this rescheduled ODI Series, allowing us to play vital high-level international competition and complete preparations ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. We are extremely grateful to both CSA’s and CWI’s operational and medical teams for their efforts in confirming the schedule and we look forward to an exciting ODI series,’’ CWI CEO Johnny Grave said.

West Indies Women’s head coach Courtney Walsh says the tour is a good opportunity for the team to get valuable matches in.

“This tour will give us a chance to get some cricket in before the World Cup, especially since we have played less cricket than anticipated following the cancellation of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. This tour will show us exactly what we need to fine-tune before departing for New Zealand so that when we get there, we can hit the ground running and give a proper showing of ourselves on the world stage,” Walsh said.

The series will feature two-day matches and two day/night matches under lights.

The day matches start at 4 am Eastern Caribbean time/3 am Jamaica time and the day/night matches at 8 am Eastern Caribbean time/7 am Jamaica time.

Mohammed and Selman, both served as vice-captain during their careers which spanned 20 years and 18 years respectively. Mohammed made her debut for the West Indies Women in 2003 at the age of 15 against Japan Women in an ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in the Netherlands. Her last match was against Australia Women in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in March 2022.

She played 141 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 117 T20 Internationals (T20Is). She took 180 ODI wickets, with a career best of 7-14 against Pakistan. Additionally, she tallied 125 T20I wickets and in 2016 she became the first cricketer (male or female) to take 100 T20I wickets. She also has the distinction of being the first West Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in a Women’s T20I and was a member of the West Indies Women’s team, which won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India in 2016.

Mohammed, in her announcement, said the last 20 years of her career have been truly amazing.

“I have enjoyed every single minute of it. The highs and the lows. I believe the time has come for me to step away from the game and allow the young players to live their dreams as I have lived mine. I was privileged enough to step onto the field wearing my maroon 258 times in my career. I have represented West Indies in five (5) ODI World Cups and seven (7) T20 World Cups. To my fellow teammates, thank you for all the love and respect shown to me during my time with you. You'll have made my journey a memorable experience. I would also like to thank WI, coaches, managers, and medical staff for believing in me and always ensuring I was in the best possible place to represent the West Indies. To my fans, it has been an honor representing you over the last 20 years. The love, support, encouragement, and respect from you'll gave me the motivation to keep doing what love most," she shared.

Selman, who started her international career against Ireland Women in Dublin in 2008, quickly established herself as a key member of the West Indies Women’s team. She played 100 ODIs taking 82 wickets and 96 T20Is where she took 51wickets. Selman was also a member of the 2016 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup winning squad. 

In a heartfelt statement, Selman pointed out that the goal of her journey was to inspire others.

"This marks my final bow after 18 incredible years. I am proud of playing with and against legends, and lucky to have dismissed a few. My aim was always to inspire and assist others in their dreams. I owe immense gratitude to God, my supportive family and friends, and to CWI, my teammates, and the medical and management teams for their unwavering guidance. To the fans, your support has been my motivation. As I transition to the next phase of my career, I look forward to continuing to share my passion for the game in new ways," she said.

The Knight twins, Kycia and Kyshona made their debuts for West Indies Women in 2011 and 2013 respectively.

Kycia, a left-handed wicketkeeper/batter holds the record for the most dismissals in Women’s T20I innings with five, as well as the most stumpings in an innings of four, and tied for most catches in an innings also with four. She played 87 ODIs and amassed 1327 runs, complemented by her 70 T20I appearances in which she scored 801 runs.

Kyshona played 51 ODIs in which she scored 851 runs. That goes with her 55 T20Is appearances and 546 runs.

The Knight sisters in a joint statement said the memories of their respective journeys will be cherished. Both were also a part of the successful West Indies women's team that won the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup.

“As this marks the end of an enjoyable and amazing journey, we would like to take this time to thank our family, friends, teammates and supporters for the continued love and support throughout the years. None of this would’ve been possible without the support and love from you guys, and for that we are forever grateful. Lastly, thank you to CWI for the opportunities granted and memories that will be forever cherished," they said.

Meanwhile, CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe paid tribute to the four cricketers.

“Anisa, Shakera, Kycia and Kyshona have had all made significant individual impacts on women’s cricket the West Indies and the world. Their dedication, skill, and sportsmanship have not only elevated our team but also captivated cricket fans worldwide. Their legacies, as members of the title-winning ICC Women’s T20 World Cup squad of 2016 and individual milestones, will continue to influence and guide future generations to aspire to wear the Maroon," Bascombe noted.

The squad includes three Rising Stars Women's Under 19 players – Zaida James, Ashmini Munisar, and Djenaba Joseph. West Indies will enter the T20I Series on a high having clinched the CG United ODI Series 2-0, with one match being a no result due to rain.

CWI Lead selector Mrs. Ann Browne-John said

“The selection panel decided to retain the players who completed the ODI series. These players have shown form and performance which enabled the team to secure a series win, which the team has been striving for in recent times. As we continue the rebuilding, we believe we have found a competent balance in mix of senior players and the younger players selected. It is in keeping with our ethos of preparing the next batch of West Indies women’s players, by combining the experienced and the newly capped players.”

Match tickets are available online from the Windies Tickets service, presented by Mastercard - Tickets.windiescricket.com - at a discounted price of US$6/EC$16 (USS3/EC$7.50 children and seniors) with tickets available on the day at the box office at a price of US$7.50/EC$20 (US$3.75/EC$10 for children and seniors).

For fans unable to get to the games in St. Lucia, the CG United ODI Series will be exclusively live on RUSH Sports in the Caribbean and on BT Sport in the UK & Ireland.  The matches will also be shown around the world on FanCode (India), ESPN+ (USA), Sky NZ (NZ), SuperSport (sub-Saharan Africa) and in all other countries on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel.

FULL SQUAD

• Hayley Matthews (captain)
• Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain)
• Aaliyah Alleyne
• Shamilia Connell
• Chinelle Henry
• Afy Fletcher
• Cherry Ann Fraser
• Shabika Gajnabi
• Zaida James
• Djenaba Joseph
• Qiana Joseph
• Ashmini Munisar
• Stafanie Taylor
• Rashada Williams

T20 International Series: 

All matches start at 5pm Eastern Caribbean Time (4pm Jamaica Time)

Tuesday 4 July: 1st T20I

Thursday 6 July: 2nd T20I 

Saturday 8 July: 3rd T20I 

Following the West Indies Women’s clean sweep against Ireland Women in the CG United ODI Series and the T20I Series in Saint Lucia earlier in the summer, the panel has named an unchanged squad for the Australia tour under the leadership of Captain Hayley Matthews. ​ The tour will be the first for new Head Coach Shane Deitz who arrived in the West Indies at the end of August. 

The inclusion of the ‘Rising Stars’ quartet of Ashmini Munisar, Djenaba Joseph, Zaida James, and Jannillea Glasgow will see some of our youngest talent in the team having their first opportunity to test their skills against the current T20I and 50-Over World Champions Australia.

Lead Selector for Women’s cricket Ann Browne-John said “The selection panel has chosen to maintain most of the players who were victorious in the home series against Ireland. Jannillea Glasgow, after having an outstanding Rising Stars Women’s Under 19 tournament, has been included in the 15-member squad and we see the return of Karishma Ramharack.”

Browne-John added, “This team is one we believe will continue to build and develop as our game evolves in the rapidly growing landscape and high-performance setting of women’s cricket. We have continued to place confidence in some of the developing players. Several of the players are coming off title-winning performances in the Massy Caribbean Premier League so we are expecting them to continue their good run of form. This is a team we believe can produce competitive cricket against a top team like Australia, under the guidance of the new Head Coach and led by the captain Hayley Matthews who’s enjoying a very productive 2023 thus far.”

The ODI series against Australia is West Indies’ fourth fixture in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-2025 after playing New Zealand, England and Ireland. Each match provides West Indies with opportunity to win valuable points to climb the Championship table where they currently lie 9^th out of ten teams. Following the Australia Series, West Indies Women will have four further three-match ODI series to play over the next two years. At the end of the cycle, the top five teams in the ICC Women’s Championship and will book a berth for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025 as well as hosts India. The remaining teams will have to go through the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

Full Squad

• Hayley Matthews (captain)
• Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain)
• Aaliyah Alleyne
• Shamilia Connell
• Afy Fletcher
• Cherry Ann Fraser
• Shabika Gajnabi
• Jannillea Glasgow
• Chinelle Henry
• Zaida James
• Djenaba Joseph
• Ashmini Munisar
• Karishma Ramharack
• Stafanie Taylor
• Rashada Williams

Match Schedule

1 October: 1^st T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney ​
​2 October: 2^nd T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney (night) ​
​5 October: 3^rd T20I at Allan Border Field, Brisbane (night)

8 October: 1^st ODI at Allan Border Field, Brisbane ​
​12 October: 2^nd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne ​
​14 October: 3^rd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne

Kate Wilmott was rewarded with a call-up to the senior team for the first time, having displayed commendable performances with her right-arm medium pace during the recently concluded CG United Women’s Super50 Cup and T20 Blaze tournaments.

Qiana Joseph and Chedean Nation, who also had credible performances were recalled to the team, having missed out on the last tour to Australia in 2023. 

Lead Selector for Women’s cricket Ann Browne-John said “The upcoming series against is extremely important for the team as they return to international competition after almost six months, the last series being against Australia. Apart from the three ODI, the team will get some much-needed T20 matches as they prepare to participate in the T20 World Cup later this year.”

Browne-John added, “The return of experienced player Chedean Nation will strengthen the batting and 19-year-old Fast Bowler Kate Wilmott will be making her debut. The players have just completed the regional tournament where some of the experienced players had encouraging performances, and it is hoped this will continue into the Pakistan series.”

Following the ODI Series, a gripping five-match T20I series will unfold from 26 April to 3 May. This T20I series will not only offer thrilling cricket action for fans but will provide important competitive cricket for both teams to fine-tune their skills and strategies ahead of the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup, which is due to take place after the Women’s CPL in Bangladesh in September.   

The West Indies Women will assemble in Dubai from 6 April for a one-week training camp as part of their preparations for the upcoming Pakistan tour.  

Full Squad

• 1. Hayley Matthews (captain)
• 2. Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain)
• 3. Aaliyah Alleyne
• 4. Shamilia Connell
• 5. Afy Fletcher
• 6. Cherry Ann Fraser
• 7. Jannillea Glasgow
• 8. Chinelle Henry
• 9. Zaida James
• 10. Qiana Joseph
• 11. Chedean Nation
• 12. Karishma Ramharack
• 13. Stafanie Taylor
• 14. Rashada Williams
• 15. Kate Wilmott

West Indies Women Tour to Pakistan Schedule

All matches to be played at National Bank Stadium (NBS), Karachi

6-14 April – Pre-Tour Preparation Training Camp, Dubai

14 April - West Indies Women arrive in Karachi

18 April - 1^st ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

21 April - 2^nd ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

23 April - 3^rd ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 April - 1^st T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

28 April - 2^nd T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

30 April - 3^rd T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

2 May - 4^th T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

3 May - 5^th T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

The ongoing T20 series in England has been largely a one-sided affair, with the hosts cruising out to a 4-0 lead.  In addition, England has secured margins of 40 runs and above in three of the four matches played so far.  Even if the regional team could use rust as a factor, there was also the series against Australia last year, where the team lost 3-0 in an ODI series, before also losing 3-0 in a T20 international series.

In 2016, the West Indies Women defeated Australia to claim the World T20 title and previously scored victories over England.

Russell believes a major part of the gulf in recent results has to do with how the big three teams are preparing physically.

“The other teams are going way ahead. I know a lot of focus is being put on the Australian team, on making them better athletes.  They are a lot faster, a lot stronger, they can really hit a ball, they are more agile.  That's where they are getting ahead,” Arnold told the Mason and Guest Radio program.

“Teams like the West Indies are still relying on the flair.  So now and again, when something comes off you will win a game but to get the consistency to improve, these are the things you need to focus on,” he added.

“A few years ago you would say New Zealand is up there with England and Australia, but the New Zealand Women have fallen off because the other teams are totally focused on improving not only their skills but also their athleticism, which allows for better performances.  It’s a case of the lesser teams not being able to focus on those areas or not focusing.”

The particular nature of the series, played in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed the Caribbean team to arrive in England at the end of last month.  The players have been since locked away in a biosecure environment where they have had the time to get used to conditions.

“The good thing is that we have been here for a while now.  It feels like home.  Normally when we go on a tour it feels like we are the away team.  This time it feels like we are the home team.

“The girls are in good spirits.  We’ve had a few weeks to get out there and get used to the conditions,” she added.

 All matches will be played behind closed doors at Derby, where West Indies have been based for three weeks.  The England Women has dominated the West Indies in recent meetings and have racked up comfortable victories in multiple formats.   Monday's series opener will be the first women's international since 86,174 people watched Australia defeat India in the T20 World Cup final in March.

The men’s program restarted under similar circumstances when the team became one of the first to resume playing international cricket, with its tour against England last month.  With the women’s inactive for the entire period, concerns were raised regarding a need to keep them engaged and active.

With South Africa pulling out of the tour, due to prevailing concerns regarding the coronavirus pandemic, the regional team was invited to fill the spot.

“It’s similar to the men in as much as the ECB has said they understand the financial position that we are in and they have agreed to pick up the cost.  So, this provides us with the best opportunity to restart our women’s program,” Grave told the Mason and Guest radio show.

“With the Guyana and Trinidad borders shut, getting the women together has been impossible.  They haven’t been training since March, since they returned from the World T20 in Australia.  This provides us with the opportunity to have three weeks of training camp prior to a couple of weeks’ worth of games.  We are playing five international T20s.  So, it really has kickstarted our women’s program, which we have been trying to do.”

The former world-renowned fast bowler has served as an assistant coach with the Bangladesh Men’s team, and subsequently worked on a short-term contract with the West Indies Women’s team, including at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2020 held in Australia earlier this year.

Walsh is the leading wicket-taker in West Indies Test history with 519 wickets in 132 Test matches. A former Jamaica and West Indies captain, he took 227 wickets in One-Day Internationals, and also took 1807 wickets in 429 first-class matches. The 57-year-old is a member of the ICC Hall of Fame.

“This is indeed an honour to be named as the new Head Coach. It’s an exciting challenge and I’ve always wanted to give back in any way I can and help with the development of the game in the West Indies. The experience I have, my knowledge of the game, and my overall organizational skills will be key aspects as we try to develop a winning team culture,” said Walsh.

“I worked with the team at the Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year in Australia and in the series against India in the Caribbean last year, so I have a very good understanding of what is required. The ability and the talent are there, we have some fantastic players in the West Indies, and it will be my duty and focus to help the women to develop their talents and achieve the goals we are going to be setting together.”

 Jimmy Adams, CWI’s Director of Cricket said Walsh will be integral to moving the women’s programme forward.

“I am delighted to have Courtney leading our international women's programme having successfully come through CWI’s recruitment process.  He will be overseeing the programme initially until the end of the next two ICC Women's World Cups in 2022 and he will be pivotal in working with CWI’s High Performance Team to move our whole women’s programme forward, as part of our wider strategic plan which has Women’s cricket as a key priority,” Adams said.

Since retiring from the game, Walsh has held several posts within CWI cricket set-up. He was a member of West Indies’ senior selection panel from 2013 to 2016 and was part of the panel which selected the squad that won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in India. He has also been Team Manager for the West Indies Under-19 and Under-15 teams and has served as a Director of the Jamaica Cricket Association. He has also been a Bowling Mentor for the Jamaica Tallawahs and Bowling Coach for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The squad sees the inclusion of three West Indies Under 19 Rising Stars players who recently competed in the first ever ICC Women’s U19 World Cup. They are Zaida James, Trishan Holder and Djenaba Joseph.

Shemaine Campbelle, the wicketkeeper/batter has been named as vice-captain. Experienced all-rounder Stafanie Taylor has been named in the squad subject to a final fitness assessment.

“The selectors have opted for a blend of youth and experience for the upcoming T20 World Cup,” said Chief Selector Ann Browne-John.

“Four senior players who have been out through injury have returned – Stafanie Taylor, Shakera Selman, Chinelle Henry and Chedean Nation.

“We continue the developmental pathway to grow women’s cricket in the region, hence we feel the time is right to include three of the Under 19 Rising Stars in the squad.”

Browne-John added that James, Joseph and Holder have been making great progress.

“Zaida brings both left-hand batting and left-arm orthodox bowling, both of which the team has been missing in recent time,” Browne-John said.

“Djenaba is a batting all-rounder and Trishan, a powerful striker and wicketkeeping option. They have all proven that they can hold their own at this level. We believe the 15 players consist of a good all-round mix and we expect them to be able to compete in this World Cup.”

The West Indies squad features six players, Hayley Matthews, Shemaine Campbelle, Stafanie Taylor, Shamilia Connell, Shakera Selman and Afy Fletcher who became World Champions in 2016.

West Indies have been drawn in Group 2 alongside England, India, Pakistan and Ireland and will travel to Cape Town on Friday, February 3, ahead of the start of the tournament, which will begin on Friday, February 10, with hosts South Africa taking on Sri Lanka.

Newlands, Cape Town; Boland Park, Paarl and St. George’s Park, Gqeberha are the host venues for the tournament with both Semi-Finals and the Final being played in Cape Town on February 26.

 FULL SQUAD:  Hayley Matthews ​ (Captain), Shemaine Campbelle (Vice Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Trishan Holder, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor and Rashada Williams.

T20 World Cup Match schedule

Monday, 13 February: West Indies vs England, Boland Park, Paarl, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

Wednesday, 15 February: West Indies vs India, Newlands, Cape Town, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

Friday, 17 February: West Indies vs Ireland, Newlands, Cape Town,7pm (1pm Eastern Caribbean/12noon Jamaica)

Sunday, 19 February: West Indies vs Pakistan, Boland Park, Paarl, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

The women team recently ended a disastrous tour of England, which ended with the ignominy of being swept aside 5-0.  The concerns for the 2016 World Cup champions, however, spread well beyond that.  The West Indies Women,  since being crowned world champions, have won just four of 10 series played and drawn one.  The wins have come against Pakistan and Ireland, with other results against more established teams like England, Australia, and India often featuring one-sided or heavy losses.

After watching the England series, however, Lloyd believes two things were clear.  There needed to be a better effort in developing the team’s grasp of the basics of the game and more competition was required to push players to do better.

“A lot of players are having technical difficulties.  Shrubsole, she is the opening bowler (for England), she bowls inswingers.  We’ve known that for years because we’ve seen her, and we’re trying to square-cut a woman with a new ball. If you look at the way they get out, they all play the same shots.  Everyone is getting out square-cutting.  Who is coaching these women?” Lloyd said recently on the Mason and Guest radio program.

“I think we need to have an overhaul of the situation and we have to try to get women from more islands playing cricket; so that these girls are going to be pushed, nobody is going to push them now because we are just choosing from a small crop of players,” he added.

The West Indies Women’s team has already made some changes to its program with men’s team bowling legend Courtney Walsh recently appointed as its new head coach.

West Indies batsman Haley Matthews has targeted putting together a string of consistent performances, with the ICC Women’s World Cup qualifiers just on the horizon.

Matthews has had a strong showing in the recently concluded tour of Pakistan, scoring 132 runs in three games, with an average of 44.  In addition to that, however, she also made a healthy contribution with the ball after snaring seven wickets.

The 24-year-old has, however, managed to put together standout performances before.  Her career-best score of 117, in 2018, was for instance followed by scores of 17, 17, 6, 26, and 16 in subsequent One Day Internationals, before improving again to make 49 and 100 not out.

On the back of her recent performances in Pakistan, the player is hoping to maintain her current run of consistency heading into the World Cup qualifiers and beyond.

“I think for me it’s going to come down to consistency.  I feel like for a lot of tours I have one big score or two big scores and then I’m probably dry for the rest of the season,” Matthews told SportsMax.Tv’s InCaseYouMissedIT.

“Here in Pakistan and moving into Zimbabwe my key focus is going to be putting down good performances more consistently.  I don’t want these games to be just the entire series, I want it to be the start of something really big for me.  Hopefully, I can take this form into the World Cup qualifiers as well.”

The player has been enjoying a new position in the team’s batting line-up, coming in at the 5^th in the middle order as opposed to her traditional position of opener.  She, however, remains unsure as to whether the change will be a permanent or temporary one but insists she remains ready to assist the team in any capacity.

“It’s a good role change I’m not exactly sure how long I’ll be playing this role for but at the same time I’m just trying to do as much as I can for the team as possible and if me batting at five is what the team needs from me right now…then it’s exactly what I’ll do.”

"White-ball cricket, and T20 cricket specifically, is about scoring runs," Coley said. "If you watch the history of our cricket, our bowling department has always held its own, done well and been competitive.

"[But] we'll need to post challenging totals and be able to chase them as well. We need to be clear in our roles for each player, and how we want to go about the batting, and we should be okay."

Coley said he was happy with the fact that during the two intra-squad warm-up matches they played in the past few days, the batters did fairly will Captain Stafanie Taylor and Lee-Ann Kirby being the standouts with scores of 71 and 85, respectively.

"It's very good that in all innings that were played, we batted the full complement of overs," Coley said. "And there were individual performances as well as partnerships throughout. It was good for everyone to have had some time out in the middle in a competitive environment, which we haven't had for a while.