ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) has officially revealed the full 12-player Caribbean Under-23 squad set to compete in the landmark Commonwealth Future Stars 10-over exhibition match, scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Antigua’s iconic Sir Vivian Richards Stadium as a headline community event tied to that year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The one-of-a-kind fixture, branded “One Commonwealth, One Team – A Commonwealth Cricket Celebration” and sponsored by Hamilton Reserve Bank, will pit the all-Caribbean youth lineup against a soon-to-be-named Wider Commonwealth Under-23 side, following a special exhibition match featuring participating Commonwealth Heads of Government. Curated to bring CHOGM 2026’s official theme “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth” to life through the unifying power of sport, the event will bring together regional leaders, grassroots communities, and cricket royalty to honor the sport’s deep shared heritage across Commonwealth member states. The partnership staging the event includes the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and supporting sponsors Trivandi, the Khalili Foundation, and the Sustainable Markets Initiative.
Every player on the 12-man Caribbean roster represents a distinct Caribbean Commonwealth nation, with one emerging talent selected from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago respectively. All squad members fall within the 18 to 22 age bracket: the youngest players are 18-year-olds Tanez Francis, representing host nation Antigua and Barbuda on his home ground, and Shaquan Belle of Barbados, while the oldest cohort includes 22-year-olds Mavendra Dindyal of Guyana, Tarrique Edward of Saint Lucia, Ethan Gibson of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Antonio Harris of The Bahamas. Dominica’s 21-year-old Stephan Pascal will captain the side.
Adding historic weight to the occasion, West Indies cricket legend Sir Vivian Richards has been named the team’s Honorary Manager, a deliberate appointment designed to bridge generations of Caribbean cricket talent and offer the next wave of regional players direct mentorship from one of the sport’s most celebrated figures. For Pascal, the captaincy marks a career-defining milestone. “Leading a team made up of rising stars from 12 different Caribbean nations is an immense honor that I will never take for granted,” Pascal shared in an official statement. “Having Sir Vivian – a hero every single young cricket lover across our islands grows up idolizing – as our honorary manager makes this experience even more surreal. We are all determined to put on a memorable performance at the stadium that bears his name, to make him proud. We may hail from separate islands, but when we step onto the pitch on November 1, we will compete as one unified Caribbean team.”
The youth-focused fixture aligns with the event’s “Play for the Future” mandate, which centers on investing in young people as the next generation of leaders and contributors to cross-Commonwealth collaborative development. CWI officials confirmed the full Wider Commonwealth Under-23 squad roster will be released to the public in the coming days.