Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming white-ball home series against South Africa Women, set to take place at the iconic 3Ws Oval in Barbados.
The series, scheduled for June 11-23, will feature three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is).
The Maroon Warriors return to the Caribbean after a difficult tour of England, where they were unable to secure a win in the six-match ODI and T20I series.
Now back on home soil, the team is focused on regrouping, resetting, and reigniting their campaign in more familiar conditions as they aim to deliver stronger, more consistent performances on the international stage.
Despite the disappointing results in England, the West Indies Women showed glimpses of their potential especially from international debutants Jahzara Claxton, the first woman from St. Kitts to play international cricket, and Guyana’s Realeanna Grimmond, who scored a half century on her ODI debut.
Captain Hayley Matthews emerged as the standout performer with 177 runs and three wickets in the T20I series and was duly named player of the series.
The Proteas Women arrive in the Caribbean ranked higher than the West Indies in both formats, with South Africa positioned 5th in both ODI and T20I rankings, while the Maroon Warriors are ranked 9th in the former and 5th in the shortest format.
Matthews will once again lead the squad, which sees one change from the England tour, with experienced all-rounder Chinelle Henry coming in for Cherry-Ann Fraser.
Miles Bascombe, CWI Director of Cricket, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back.
“After a challenging tour, this home series offers the perfect opportunity for the team to regain their footing and reestablish their confidence playing in familiar conditions and in front of West Indian fans. We believe in this group’s talent and resilience, and we look forward to seeing them play purposeful, passionate cricket,” Bascombe said.
Head Coach Shane Deitz echoed the importance of the upcoming matches.
“Obviously, England’s results didn’t go how we wanted, but it was a great learning opportunity and a chance to bring some young players into our team and give them their first taste of international cricket.
“This is going to be wonderful series and a great opportunity for our girls to test their skills and abilities against one of the best teams in the world, so I am looking forward to getting out there putting on a great show for our West Indies supporters. We can’t wait to hear and feel their support when we go out to play on Wednesday,” Deitz stated.
The team arrived in Barbados on Sunday ahead of the first ODI on Wednesday (today). The second T20I on Sunday, June 22, will be particularly special as it coincides with the prestigious CWI and West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) Awards ceremony, celebrating the achievements of Caribbean cricket stars across both men’s and women’s cricket.
Admission to the games is free and all matches will be broadcast live across the Caribbean and internationally on ESPN Caribbean.
West Indies Squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Jahzara Claxton, Afy Fletcher, Shakiba Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Realeanna Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, and Stafanie Taylor.
Team Management Unit: Head Coach Shane Deitz, Team Manager Sheena Gooding, Assistant Coach Ryan Austin, Assistant Coach Damien Wright, Team Analyst Gary Belle, Physiotherapist Angelica Holder, Strength & Conditioning Coach Hector Martinez Charles, Performance Coach Dr. Nadine Sammy, and Media & Content Officer Nicholas Maitland.
