More regional cricket is needed if West Indies Women’s Cricket is to thrive. So says T&T and Windward Islands Under-19 girls’ coaches Gibran Mohammed and Cleton Burnett, who believe the sport is currently at a crucial stage where more opportunity must be given to younger players to assist their transition into the senior regional teams.
With Deandra Dottin, a veteran all-rounder retired, and seasoned campaigners like Anisa Mohammed and Stafanie Taylor in the twilight of their illustrious careers, both coaches think more domestic and territorial competitions are needed to bolster and widen the region’s talent pool.
The current team of regional players have won just three of their past 20 matches; all three being Twenty20 Internationals.
The former skipper, Mohammed took a six-month break from international cricket in September 2022, following a hectic schedule. She is yet to confirm her return to the regional senior set up.
Meanwhile, Taylor has been plagued with a host of injuries over the past year. She only returned to the Fairbreak International Twenty20 recently for her franchise team Tornadoes.
Bajan all-rounder and West Indies Women’s Captain, Hayley Matthews, Rashada Williams, Shemaine Campbelle and Afy Fletcher, among others have bravely held down the fort on the absence of the experienced heads but the squad seems to still be missing a few key links.
Windwards Coach Burnett wants more girls and women’s cricket played throughout the region. “It’s the only way West Indies can further develop its current crop of players and unearth new talent,” he said.
Coach Mohammed shared similar sentiments and said the girls must be challenged regularly to keep them sharp, and competition-ready, particularly on the global stage. For his team, Mohammed wants them to continue developing and growing from strength to strength.
