Less than three weeks out from the opening of the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has officially announced its 15-player squad set to compete in the global tournament, which will run from June 5 to July 5 across host venues in England and Wales. The announcement was made public from CWI’s headquarters in St John’s, Antigua, marking the final major milestone ahead of the team’s departure for pre-tournament competition. The selected roster was finalized following months of comprehensive evaluation by CWI’s selection panel and senior team management, with every selection weighed against the specific tactical and technical demands of competing in cool, often overcast English conditions, where pitch behavior and overhead conditions differ sharply from the Caribbean venues the team regularly competes on. In building the squad, selectors centered their strategy around three core pillars: aggressive, high-intent batting during the powerplay, deep batting depth to sustain scoring across all innings, and broad adaptability to both seaming and spinning pitches common across the British Isles. The bowling unit was assembled around a focus on line and length accuracy, tactical variation to outwit international batters, and disciplined execution under pressure, with additional attention paid to building strong spin matchups against top-ranked international lineups and boosting the team’s late-innings finishing capability. Head Coach Shane Deitz explained that every selection aligns with a game plan tailored specifically to the challenges of English conditions. “We know that in these conditions, strong powerplay batting and sustained scoring through the middle overs will be critical to winning games,” Deitz noted. “Our internal analysis shows that when we cross the 45-run mark in the powerplay, we put ourselves in a far stronger position to control the trajectory of the match. When we’re in the field, our priority is limiting boundary opportunities both in the powerplay and across every stage of the opposition innings.” To deliver on that strategy, Deitz added, the squad features flexible batting options at the top of the order, players capable of countering both fast pace and spin with equal confidence, and batters who can maintain aggressive scoring intent even after early wickets fall. The deep batting line-up ensures the team can keep attacking late into innings, while bowlers have been selected for their ability to shift seamlessly between aggressive attacking and containment modes when match situations demand it. CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe outlined the rigorous, intentional preparation programme the squad has completed to acclimatize ahead of the tournament, a process designed to build match consistency and competitive momentum heading into the World Cup. “We have been very deliberate in how we structured the team’s preparation for this tournament,” Bascombe explained. “The specialized conditioning camp we held in Wales immersed players in conditions almost identical to what they will encounter throughout the World Cup, giving them time to fine-tune their technical skills and tactical decision-making in that environment. It also gave the group an extended period to build on-field cohesion, collective confidence, and consistent performance chemistry, which is just as important as technical preparation.” The second key phase of preparation kicked off on the same day the squad was announced, with the team competing in the Evara Women’s International tri-nation series in Dublin, Ireland, against hosts Ireland and Pakistan, running from May 28 to June 3. Bascombe emphasized that this final warm-up competition gives the squad critical high-stakes match exposure against top-tier international opposition just days before the World Cup gets underway. “Every aspect of the preparation has been intentional in ensuring the players arrive at the World Cup fully adapted to the conditions, clear in their individual roles, and building positive momentum as a unified unit,” he added. Following the conclusion of the tri-series, the West Indies squad will travel to England for two official World Cup warm-up matches: against defending champions India on June 8, and against Australia on June 10. Their first official group stage encounter is scheduled for June 13 against New Zealand. All matches of the Evara tri-nation series, hosted at Dublin’s Castle Avenue, will be streamed live globally on ICC TV, with coverage starting at 11 AM AST (10 AM JA local time). The full 15-member squad, which will compete in both the tri-series and the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, is led by captain Hayley Matthews, with Chinelle Henry serving as vice-captain. The full roster includes: Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Jahzara Claxton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, and Stafanie Taylor. The full match schedule for the Evara Women’s International Tri-series is as follows: May 28 – Ireland vs West Indies; May 29 – Pakistan vs West Indies; May 31 – Ireland vs Pakistan; June 1 – Ireland vs West Indies; June 3 – Pakistan vs West Indies; June 4 – Ireland vs Pakistan.
Cricket West Indies Announces Squad for 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
