Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, and Nerissa Crafton have all been in the West Indies squad for the Senior Women’s tour of India in December, which the management team expects to provide a great deal of exposure for the regional lasses.
All three Saint Lucians were part of the regional team that made the semifinals of last month’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Head coach Shane Deitz expressed his confidence in the squad, which was announced on Wednesday, stating: “We want to take the good momentum we gained at the T20 World Cup into this series. We showed that we can compete against the top teams which was pleasing.
“Since I’ve taken over, I’ve seen improvements in all areas, but we still have a long way to go. The consistency of high-level performance is what we need to keep working towards and this is a good opportunity to play six matches against one of the best teams in the world.
“We want to get more girls involved with franchise cricket moving forward and looking toward India, it’s always good to play in front of the Indian IPL teams. It is good for our ladies to start getting their names in front of those people, to hopefully open some opportunities in the future.”
At the World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Joseph was the third-highest run scorer for West Indies with 99 runs. The 23-year-old from Gros Islet hit an audacious 52 against England, her maiden international 50, to guide the Maroon Warriors into the semifinals.
Joseph also had the best economy rate, 4.17, for the Windies women. James, the sixth-highest run scorer for the regional side, also had a bowling economy rate of 4.56, the second-best for the team in that tournament.
Crafton did not get a chance to play in the World T20, but she has since been included in the second cohort of the Saint High Performance Centre.
The squad, under the leadership of captain Hayley Matthews, presents a balanced combination of established players and emerging talent.
Former captain Stafanie Taylor is currently rehabilitating from injury and will be absent from this tour. Middle order batter Chedean Nation was also left out. Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Rashada Williams returns to the side, along with bowling all-rounder Shabika Gajnabi.
The Maroon Warriors face an Indian side that recently secured a 2-1 ODI series victory against reigning ICC Women’s T20 World Cup champions New Zealand. Currently ranked sixth in both T20Is and ODIs, the West Indies face third-ranked India in what promises to be a compelling series.
The teams’ last white-ball encounter in India in 2016 saw the West Indies triumph 3-0 in the T20Is before India claimed the ODI series 3-0.
The upcoming India tour comprises three T20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals, providing a significant opportunity for the team to compete against one of cricket’s leading nations.
The T20I series will commence at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on December 15, followed by the ODI series at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Vadodara from December 22. This ODI segment carries crucial points for the ICC Women’s Championship.
West Indies Women’s Squad:
Hayley Matthews (Captain)
Shemaine Campbelle (Vice-Captain)
Aaliyah Alleyne
Shamilia Connell
Nerissa Crafton
Deandra Dottin
Afy Fletcher
Shabika Gajnabi
Chinelle Henry
Zaida James
Qiana Joseph
Mandy Mangru
Ashmini Munisar
Karishma Ramharack
Rashada Williams
Team Management Unit:
Head Coach: Shane Deitz
Manager: Sheena Gooding
Assistant Coach: Ryan Austin
Assistant Coach: Damien Wright
Team Analyst: Gary Belle
Physiotherapist: Angelica Holder
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Antonia Burton
Performance Coach: Dr. Nadine Sammy
Media & Content Officer: Nicholas Maitland
Full schedule:
T20Is:
Dec 15, 2024, 9:30 AM
Dec 17, 2024, 9:30 AM
Dec 19, 2024, 9:30 AM
ODIs:
Dec 22, 2024, 4:00 AM
Dec 24, 2024, 4:00 AM
Dec 27, 2024, 12:00 AM
Photo: Qiana Joseph in action at the T20 World Cup. Image credit: ICC
