ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel today announced the West Indies Women’s U-19 squad for their upcoming five-match T20 International (T20I) Series against USA Women’s U19. The two teams will meet at the Broward County Stadium in Florida from 8 to 14 August.

The 12-member squad will be led by Ashmini Munisar with Shalini Samaroo as the vice-captain. The selectors originally named 15 players but three were unable to secure traveling visas to make the tour. Munisar is a right-handed batter and off-spinner, while Samaroo is a left-handed batter and off-spinner.

The team has a number of other exciting allrounders, including Djenada Joseph, who was the leading run-maker in the CWI Rising Stars U19 T20 tournament played last month. The most experienced player is Zaida James, the left-handed batter, who was traveling reserve for the West Indies Women’s Senior team earlier this year. Last year she represented West Indies Women’s “A” Team against Pakistan “A” Team.

The Head Coach is Steve Liburd, the former Leeward Islands batsman and West Indies Men’s U-19s Assistant Coach; with Merissa Aguilleira, the former West Indies Women’s captain, as the Team Manager.
Both teams have qualified for the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup taking place in South Africa in January 2023 and this upcoming series will be ideal preparation for the global event.

Ann Browne-John, Lead Selector for West Indies Women, said: “History has been created with the selection of this West Indies Under-19 team. No cricket tournaments were played during the pandemic, and it was therefore not only important, but also an eye-opener to view the girls in the recent U-19 tournament. The selectors were extremely pleased with the quality of skill shown by these young players. The team has a good mix of batting and bowling including some left-handers.”

Browne-John added: “There are a few players including the captain Ashmini Munisar and Djenaba Joseph who recently played major roles for their senior teams in the regional tournament in Guyana. This series as well as a few other planned upcoming events would help the players in their development thrust as they prepare for the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in January.”

The first two games will be held under floodlights with 6:30pm starts on Monday 8 August and Tuesday 9 August. The remaining three matches in the series will all be daylight games with 10:30am starts on Thursday, August 11, and Friday 12, before the fifth and final match of the series on Sunday 14 August.

FULL SQUAD: Ashmini Munisar (Captain), Shalini Samaroo (Vice Captain), Asabi Callender, Najanni Cumberbatch, Realeanna Grimmond, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, KD-Jazz Mitchell, Ashley Ramnath, Samara Ramnath, Shunelle Sawh, Kate Wilmot.

Team Management: Steve Liburd (Head Coach), Merissa Aguilleira (Team Manager), Samantha Lynch, (Assistant Coach), Jamal Smith (Assistant Coach), Asia Joseph (Strength & Conditioning Coach); and Tori-Ann Grant (Physiotherapist)

MATCH SCHEDULE – at Broward County Stadium
8 August: 1st Women’s U-19 T20I – 6:30pm (5:30pm Jamaica)
9 August: 2nd Women’s U-19 T20I – 6:30pm (5:30pm Jamaica)
11 August: 3rd Women’s U-19 T20I – 10:30am (9:30am Jamaica)
12 August: 4th Women’s U-19 T20I – 10:30am (9:30am Jamaica)
14 August: 5th Women’s U-19 T20I – 10:30am (9:30am Jamaica)