ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – With the dream of securing a coveted spot within the ICC Ladies’s Cricket World Cup 2025, the West Indies Ladies’s workforce embarks on a vital journey.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has formally introduced the squad set to compete within the high-stakes Qualifiers, scheduled to happen from April 9 to 19 in Lahore, Pakistan.
The workforce was slated to depart Monday for a pre-tournament camp within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earlier than heading to Pakistan, the place they are going to battle for one of many closing two spots within the prestigious match, slated for October-November in India.
A take a look at of talent and dedication
The West Indies Ladies will face a formidable line-up of opponents in a round-robin format, squaring off towards hosts Pakistan, together with Eire, Bangladesh, Scotland, and Thailand. Solely the highest two groups will advance to hitch powerhouses Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and hosts India in the primary occasion.
4 of the Qualifier groups—Bangladesh, West Indies, Pakistan, and Eire—fell in need of automated qualification by the 2023-25 ICC Ladies’s Championship, ending seventh by tenth within the standings. Scotland and Thailand, in the meantime, earned their place as the following two highest-ranked groups within the ICC Ladies’s ODI rankings.
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‘Now we have the expertise and dedication’
CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe expressed confidence within the workforce’s readiness and the energy of their preparation:
“Our ladies have been coaching intensively and are absolutely ready for the challenges forward. Now we have seen many enterprising performances popping out of the house sequence towards Bangladesh in January, in addition to the CG United Ladies’s Super50 Cup in St. Kitts.”
Bascombe emphasised the significance of this match: “Now, the qualifiers characterize a vital alternative for us to safe our place within the World Cup, and I consider, as we’ve seen in the previous few months, we’ve the expertise and dedication to realize this objective.”
He additionally highlighted the workforce’s mix of expertise and rising expertise: “The senior gamers have embraced their mentorship roles, whereas our rising abilities have repeatedly demonstrated that they’ll carry out on the worldwide stage. This dynamic will create a resilient workforce that may thrive beneath stress.”
West Indies’ path to qualification
All 15 video games within the match might be performed in Lahore on the iconic Gaddafi Stadium and Lahore Metropolis Cricket Affiliation (LCCA) Stadium. The West Indies Ladies will kick off their marketing campaign towards Scotland on April 9 on the LCCA Stadium earlier than dealing with Eire, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Thailand.
West Indies Ladies’s match schedule:
- April 9: vs Scotland – LCCA Stadium (12:30 AM AST / 9:30 AM PKT)
- April 11: vs Eire – Gaddafi Stadium (12:30 AM AST / 9:30 AM PKT)
- April 14: vs Pakistan – Gaddafi Stadium (5:00 AM AST / 2:00 PM PKT)
- April 17: vs Bangladesh – LCCA Stadium (12:30 AM AST / 9:30 AM PKT)
- April 19: vs Thailand – Gaddafi Stadium (5:00 AM AST / 2:00 PM PKT)
West Indies Head Coach Shane Deitz stays optimistic about his squad’s probabilities and understands the importance of the upcoming competitors:
“It’s going to be a troublesome match with some actually good groups to play towards, however we’re proper up for the problem. We all know how essential it’s to qualify for the World Cup in India later within the yr, however clearly, all of the groups might be doing every little thing they’ll to get these two spots.”
Deitz is assured within the workforce’s preparation: “We’ve ready effectively and performed some good cricket within the final sequence towards Bangladesh. Now we have to be at our greatest in each recreation, put together effectively off the sector, belief our expertise, play our greatest cricket, and the outcome will maintain itself.”
‘We belief our expertise and one another’
Main from the entrance, Captain Hayley Matthews emphasised the unity and focus inside the squad: “As we head into the World Cup Qualifiers, we all know we’ve ready effectively for this second. The workforce setting appears like a household, and we’ve all been having fun with ourselves out on the park.”
She reiterated the workforce’s unwavering focus: “We belief our expertise and one another and are staying centered on enjoying our greatest cricket with none distractions. Profitable this can be a massive objective for us as a workforce, and we’re assured in our probabilities to carry out at a excessive degree.”
A strategic mix of expertise and rising stars
The 15-player squad displays a balanced mixture of seasoned campaigners and promising newcomers. Three modifications have been created from the squad that competed within the ODI sequence towards Bangladesh in January.
Coming back from harm are Stafanie Taylor and Chinelle Henry, whereas Rashada Williams earns a spot within the squad after her standout performances within the CG United Ladies’s Super50 Cup. They exchange Nerissa Crafton, Djenaba Joseph, and Deandra Dottin, the latter sidelined resulting from harm.
Squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams.
Staff administration unit: Head Coach – Shane Deitz; Staff Supervisor – Sheena Gooding; Assistant Coaches – Ryan Austin, Damien Wright; Staff Analyst – Gary Belle; Physiotherapist – Angelica Holder; Energy & Conditioning Coach – Hector Martinez Charles; Efficiency Coach – Dr. Nadine Sammy; Staff Physician – Dr. Ruchelle Brown Calvert; Media & Content material Officer –Nicholas Maitland.
The journey begins now. With a proficient squad and the unwavering perception of their management, the West Indies Ladies are able to tackle the problem and earn their rightful place on the world stage.
