ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Title-holders Trinidad and Tobago will meet arch-rivals Barbados in the opening game of this month’s Women’s Regional Super50, in a tournament designed to further strengthen the West Indies Women’s squad for their campaign in the ICC World Cup in June.
Selectors will be using the April 20-30 showpiece in St Vincent to identify possible new talent which can supplement the existing West Indies squad for the June 24 to July 23 50-overs tournament in England.
Josina Luke, the WICB project officer for women’s cricket, underscored the importance of the Regional Super50 to the selection of the West Indies World Cup squad.
“Having reached the final of the last ICC Women’s World Cup and following up by winning the World T20 title, a lot is expected of our women’s team at this year’s World Cup in England, so we’ve got to have the right combination of players that will give us a strong side that will be tough to beat,” Luke said.
“The success of our women’s team over the last few years should hopefully burn on the inside of the players during the regional tournament, inspire all of them and make them hungry to be a part of another successful campaign on the World stage, when they see the excitement and benefits that were generated, especially after our team won the World T20 title.”
She added: “They should all be eager to play well and the players should see this upcoming regional tournament as an opportunity to get into the selection frame. No one is ever guaranteed a spot in any squad, so it’s about the players putting in the hard work as they prepare for the tournament over the new few weeks and doing it on the field when the time comes.”
All of the West Indies Women’s stars will be on show as the likes of batting stars Stafanie Taylor of Jamaica, Deandra Dottin of Barbados and Merissa Aguilleira of Trinidad and Tobago suit up for their respective sides.
T&T, who be led by Aguilleira, clash with Barbados at Sion Hill in the opening round, with Jamaica meeting Leeward Islands at Park Hill and Windward Islands taking on Guyana at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex.
Each team will play the other once in a five-round round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the final.
Last year’s tournament in Guyana was wrecked by rain.
