By Romario Samaroo
West Indies women’s lead selector, Ann Browne-John has backed the selection panel after naming the squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa from February 11.
In a press conference yesterday, Browne-John explained, “Everybody going into a World Cup will be going into a World Cup and wanting to win so we will be going into the World Cup wanting to win and we have put our best team forward and I always have a view that when match day comes, it’s my team against your team on the day and who wants to win more.”
Browne-John continued, “Our expectation is the team will play to the best of their ability, I think we have a great blend of experienced senior players and now we have some young budding players to add to it and it is all left now to see what happens when the matches come around.”
The 15-member squad will be captained by premier all-rounder, Hayley Matthews and her deputy, Shemaine Campbelle while former captain, Stafanie Taylor is available subject to a final fitness assessment. According to Browne-John, “we are aware that Stafanie Taylor has been out injured for quite some time I think since October, the New Zealand series so she has been progressing, we have been working with her in terms of getting her back to play with her routine, she is almost there so we are just waiting for the final assessment from the medical team and to give a clearance but we are all positive.”
The side also features Shamilia Connell, Shakera Selman and Afy Fletcher who became World Champions in 2016.
Speaking on the selection of the youngsters, the lead selector noted, “We as a selection panel are very happy to include these under-19 rising stars players, you know we had the under-19 world cup just completed in South Africa there so it was opportune that they were right here with us in South Africa. We have been looking at them, we have been looking at the progress with the team and those three players selected.”
“Zaida James is a left hand batter and a left arm orthodox bowler so we thought that it something that brought additional strength to our team because we don’t have many left handers and we have been lacking a number of left arm orthodox bowler,” she said while adding, “We have Trishan Holder who is one of the young players we have seen now is a powerful striker of the ball and we looked particularly in the England series and we feel she is well suited for T20 cricket.”
Djenaba Joseph is the other young player included as Browne-John pointed out that she too is a competent batting all-rounder.
WI women’s squad: Hayley Matthews (Captain), Shemaine Campbelle (Vice Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Trishan Holder, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams
