The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel has unveiled the 15-member squad set to embark on a tour to Australia in October. This exciting series will encompass three T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Following a stellar performance against Ireland Women in the CG United ODI Series and the T20I Series in Saint Lucia earlier in the summer, the selection panel has decided to maintain an unchanged squad for the Australia tour. The capable Captain Hayley Matthews will lead this squad. Notably, this tour marks the debut of new Head Coach Shane Deitz, who joined the West Indies team at the end of August.
One of the most exciting aspects of this squad is the inclusion of the ‘Rising Stars’ quartet: Ashmini Munisar, Djenaba Joseph, Zaida James, and Jannillea Glasgow. These young talents will have their first opportunity to test their skills against the current T20I and 50-over World Champions, Australia. It’s a testament to the West Indies’ commitment to nurturing and showcasing emerging talents.
Ann Browne-John, the Lead Selector for Women’s cricket, shared insights into the selection process. She mentioned, “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 emphasized, “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 significant as it is West Indies’ fourth fixture in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-2025. Previous encounters included matches against New Zealand, England, and Ireland. Each match allows West Indies to accumulate valuable points, potentially propelling them up the Championship table. Currently, they hold the 9th position out of ten teams.
Following the Australia Series, West Indies Women will have four more three-match ODI series to compete in over the next two years. At the end of this cycle, the top five teams in the ICC Women’s Championship will secure a spot in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025, along with hosts India. The remaining teams must go through the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
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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: 1st T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney
2 October: 2nd T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney (night)
5 October: 3rd T20I at Allan Border Field, Brisbane (night)
8 October: 1st ODI at Allan Border Field, Brisbane
12 October: 2nd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne
14 October: 3rd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne
