The third iteration of the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) 2024 starts on Wednesday August 21, in Trinidad & Tobago. Three teams will compete in a double round robin format. All matches will be played at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
This year’s WCPL has attracted a number of new faces, including some of the biggest international stars in the women’s game. The format means each team will play the other two teams twice and the top two teams will play in the final on Thursday August 29.
Ahead of the first ball on Wednesday, the tournament was officially launched on Monday evening in Port of Spain. Tournament director Michael Hall said that the care and attention being put into the women’s game matches that which goes into men’s cricket from the CPL perspective. But he notes that the addition of a women’s league is simply reflective of global trends towards greater inclusion in sport.
“It is a great pleasure for us to be staging the third edition of the WCPL,” he said. “Four years ago when we were approached by Cricket West Indies with the idea of staging a tournament that would help us to showcase the best of women’s cricket from the region as well as some of the best from overseas, we immediately jumped at the opportunity.
“The face of sport globally is changing. And is becoming far more cognisant of the value of women’s sport and we certainly recognise that. And so we’re very very happy to play our small part in promoting women’s sport. We think this is a wonderful opportunity for all
of the players who play in this tournament, but in particular those from here in the Caribbean. It presents an opportunity for them to showcase their skills to a huge global audience.
“We make sure that the pictures that we send to the rest of the world are as good as those which we send when the men’s tournament takes place. Same level of coverage. Same
number of cameras. Same technology.”
The defending champion Barbados Royals will be captained by Hayley Matthews. Former West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor is in charge of the Guyana Amazon Warriors. And Deandra Dottin leads the Trinbago Knight Riders. Matthews and Taylor are rated in the top 10 T20 all-rounders internationally while Dottin is one of the most destructive batters in the women’s game,
Barbados’ Shakera Selman will be playing for the Amazon Warriors, who made the 2023 final. She, too, hailed the advent of professional women’s cricket in the region, suggesting that it can do a great deal to spur growth and improvement.
“First of all I would like to say ‘Thank you’ to CPL and Cricket West Indies for ensuring that we finally have a women’s franchise tournament in the Caribbean,” she began. “For many years the females have been asking for this tournament. And watching the men’s tournament we felt that we had a lot of talent to display as well.
“We are very happy that CPL decided to invest in the women’s game in the Caribbean. Of course we all know and we have seen what franchise tournaments around the globe have done for women’s cricket in particular countries.
“You look at Australia, England with The Hundred, and India, the impact it has had on their
Improvement. By doing this, we hope that it can do the same thing here in the Caribbean. As well we’re very excited that the game is growing and that it has attracted players from all
around the globe.”
Selman expressed the belief that the WCPL can help unearth more great players for the West Indies going forward. She said she is hopeful that the young players from the region will seize the opportunity to put their talent and ability on display.
The Barbados Royals play the Guyana Amazon Warriors from 7:00 pm on Wednesday night.
(TF)
