Matthews to captain WI Women’s squad for Sri Lanka tour

arbadian all-rounder Hayley Matthews, who has been in exceptional form,  will again lead the West Indies Women’s side in the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka with Guyanese wicketkeeper-batsman Shemaine Campbelle as her deputy.

West Indies Women’s selectors have stuck with all but one of the players who were part of the highly successful Tour of Pakistan for their forthcoming assignment next month in Sri Lanka.

Shabika Gajnabi has replaced ambidextrous Windward Islands all-rounder Jannillea Glasgow in the 15-member squad for the trip that features three ICC Women’s Championship One-day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals.

Gajnabi got the nod over Glasgow, 19, to give the Caribbean side another top order batting option after a couple of decent knocks in the West Indies Women’s Championship in March in St Kitts and to shore up an area that was exposed when former captain Stafanie Taylor got injured in Pakistan.

The 23-year-old Guyanese has already appeared in 17 ODIs and 31 T20Is for West Indies Women after making her international debut four years ago, so she will not be a stranger to this level of the sport or her teammates.

Lead selector Ann Browne-John said the ODI matches will be crucial because they count towards direct qualification for the next ICC Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup.

The top five teams in the Women’s Championship and hosts India automatically qualify for the 2025 WCWC – and West Indies Women are currently seventh in the table, while Sri Lanka are eighth but level on 14 points.

The three matches against the Sri Lankans will be exclusively played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium on June 15, 18, and 21.

“The ODI series serves as a crucial stepping-stone towards automatic qualification for the Women’s Cricket World Cup, providing an essential opportunity for the team to gain more valuable points in the ICC Women’s Championship,” Browne-John said.

The lead selector said the T20Is will serve as preparation for the side for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup later in the year in Bangladesh, where West Indies Women will be one of the 10 teams taking part in the tournament.

The three matches against the Sri Lankans will be exclusively played at the Rajapaksa Stadium on June 24, 26, and 28 in Hambantota.

“The tour also allows the squad, during the T20I series, to continue to prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which takes place in September in Bangladesh,” Browne said. “The similar sub-continental conditions will help the team to refine their skills, strategies, build synergy, and assess their strengths and areas for improvement against quality opposition.

The selector added: “The experience gained here will be invaluable as they progress towards the T20 World Cup, ensuring they are well-prepared and in peak form for the challenges ahead.”

Cricket West Indies indicated the squad leaves on Sunday for a seven-day period of training and acclimatisation in the Sri Lanka capital of Colombo. The series will feature three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is), with the first match taking place on Saturday, June 15,  in Galle.

Squad:

Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams, Kate Wilmot.

Team management unit:

Shane Deitz (head coach), Ryan Austin (assistant coach),  Damien Wright

(assistant Coach), Gary Belle (team analyst), Tajay Grant (physiotherapist), Antonia Burton (strength & conditioning coach), Dr Nadine Sammy (performance coach) and team manager Sheena Gooding. 

(CMC/BT)