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• Melodic journey: Windies all-rounder Dottin opens up about time away from cricket; targets success in upcoming T20 World Cup

  It is said that music soothes the soul in the midst of stress, heightened anxiety and depression. In other words, music can help during troubling times and West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin can attest to that.

  Dotting, who initially announced her retirement in 2022, reversed her decision ahead of the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, thanks to the music of the islands she represents.

  While away from the international stage, the Barbadian said the sounds of dancehall and reggae were a big part of her daily routine to reflect and unwind, as she focused on her mental health.

  In fact, it is that time away that Dottin believes prepared her for a return to the sport she fell in love with since her international debut in 2008.

  “I have missed playing international cricket and playing in the maroon. It is always a good feeling but sometimes as players, we might think that there is nothing wrong but deep down inside, something is happening. Many of us deal with things differently, some speak to psychologists, some take breaks, some listen to music and stuff," Dottin said.

  She continued: “That break did a lot in terms of mentally helping me to deal with things better. It was good to have a lot of time on my hands, but it did feel strange not being in the international set-up anymore but I used it to relax, have the muscles and brain relax and not think about cricket.

  

  “You are usually just on that rollercoaster, just thinking about cricket and batting and bowling and stuff like that. I tried to do different stuff that is not cricket focused, and that didn’t have stress. I just played games, listened to music, and just did the natural, normal stuff.”

  Dottin, 33, spent her time away from cricket in Canada, finding a peace there that aided her readiness to come back to international action.

  However, it was like she never left as she showed no signs of rustiness, scoring two half-centuries during a West Indies camp to secure selection for the global T20 showpiece, which gets underway on Thursday.

  It is the tournament where she made her name, scoring the first women’s T20I century in the 2010 edition before helping the Windies claim a stunning win in 2016.

  Now, it becomes the scene of her return, and it will see not just a different Dottin but a different West Indies.

  Still, she believes they will approach the tournament in the same way they did eight years ago.

  

  “I deal with things, especially mentally, on a different level. I try to create a stronger mentality where I control what I can control and what I can’t control. I forget about it and let God deal with it. It has made me a better person than I was before. There is a difference in the whole team too; the management staff and the players are all on the same level.

  “They are executing their plans and have created a different culture and actually think it is in a good mental space, their determination and hunger are really there. It will mean a lot to compete at a World Cup again, I will have some nerves coming back but it will feel really awesome,” Dottin shared.

  “In this World Cup, every team wants to win it, and we are the ones that are hungry and determined to do it. So, I think that once we stick to the basics and execute our plans, then there is no stopping us,” she ended.

  West Indies will open their account against South Africa on Friday.

   

• South Africa beat Ireland in ODI opener to avenge T20I loss

  South Africa cruised to a 139-run win over Ireland in the teams' first ODI in Abu Dhabi, with Lizaad Williams tearing through their opponents' batting order.

  The Proteas approached Wednesday's contest reeling from a shock T20I defeat to Ireland on Sunday, with Ross Adair's maiden international century ensuring the two-match series ended 1-1.

  There was not to be a repeat in the 50-over format, however, with Ireland's batting order collapsing after Ryan Rickelton (91) and Tristan Stubbs (79) guided an otherwise shaky South Africa to 271-9.

  The Proteas started miserably by losing three wickets for 39 runs, Mark Adair taking two of them on his way to figures of 4-50.

  But opener Rickelton stayed cool while the wickets tumbled around him, lasting 102 deliveries and allowing Stubbs to join in on the act with comfortably his best ODI score, dragging South Africa to a respectable total.

  Ireland might have harboured hopes of a successful chase, but Paul Stirling's fourth-ball dismissal for just two runs set the tone, and a spate of four more wickets in the space of six overs dropped Ireland to 61-5.

  Williams finished with figures of 4-32 from his 10 overs for the Proteas, who needed just 32 overs to finish off the tail and bring some much-needed positivity to their tour of the United Arab Emirates, which started with an ODI series loss to Afghanistan.

  Data Debrief: Williams wins it 

  Rickelton and Stubbs carried South Africa to a score they were capable of defending despite no other batter scoring more than Bjorn Fortuin's 28 – seven scored 13 runs or fewer.

  But it was Williams who made sure of the victory, taking three of the first four wickets to leave Ireland in a tailspin, then going on to record the best figures of his young ODI career.

  In none of his previous five ODIs had Williams managed more than two wickets, while his 32 runs conceded were also his fewest in the format.

• Buttler returns to skipper England for West Indies tour

  Jos Buttler will return to captain England for the white-ball tour of West Indies, while Yorkshire leg-spinner Jafer Chohan has earned his first international call-up.

  Buttler missed the recent one-day international and T20 series against Australia due to a calf injury, with Harry Brook and Phil Salt leading the respective sides in his absence.

  Meanwhile, Chohan is one of three uncapped players in the squad, which will remain the same for both series, along with Hampshire fast bowler John Turner and Warwickshire all-rounder Dan Mousley.

  The 22-year-old has taken 17 wickets in 10 T20 Blast matches for Yorkshire in 2024, and is the first South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) graduate to be named in an England squad.

  "It feels like an absolute dream to be selected. It's what I've worked for my whole life," Chohan told Yorkshire CCC.

  "For me, this is a really good opportunity to be around some of the best players in the world, learn as much as I can, and just really sharpen up my game as much as possible."

  The three-game ODI series begins in Antigua on October 31, while the five-game T20 series commences in Barbados on November 9.

  Full squad: Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner.