The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel on Sunday announced the West Indies Women’s U19 squad for their upcoming five-match T20 International (T20I) Series against USA Women’s U19. The two teams will meet at the Broward County Stadium in Florida from 8 to 14 August.

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).