Selectors place emphasis on youth in training squad
ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Five Under-19 Women’s World Cup players have been named in a West Indies Women’s 18-member training squad slated to prepare for the upcoming series against Ireland starting later this month.
Jannillea Glasgow, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Ashmini Munisar and Shunelle Sawh will join the experienced likes of Captain Hayley Matthews, former skipper Stafanie Taylor, and Vice-Captain Shemaine Campbelle for the June 14-21 camp at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia.
West Indies take on Ireland in three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals in St Lucia from June 26 to July 8.
“The series against Ireland is an important one for the West Indies Women as the team seeks to build points to qualify directly for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup,” said women’s lead selector Ann Browne-John.
“It also serves as a perfect opportunity to continue to expose younger players to international cricket.
“This was a policy that the CWI embarked upon which resulted in Under-19 players being selected to the team for the England series in December and the ICC T20 World Cup in February.”
She continued: “This is now being taken one step further and there are five players who participated in the ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in January [who are] now in the squad preparing for the series against Ireland.
“This means that there are some senior players who are not able to get a place in the squad at this time. The selection panel, however, believes that this squad has a good mix of youth and experience as we continue to build the West Indies team of the future.”
Missing are Shakera Selman, Chedean Nation, Britney Cooper and Trishan Holder, all members of the squad from the T20 World Cup in South Africa earlier this year.
Qiana Joseph, a 22-year-old left-arm seamer, and 23-year-old right-arm medium pacer Cherry-Ann Fraser, have been included in the training squad.
The training camp will comprise “fitness sessions as well as strategic preparations” targeted at the Ireland series.
