West Indies Women’s cricket team has touched down in Newport, Wales, kicking off a 10-day high-performance preparatory camp that marks a key milestone on their road to the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup hosted in England. Organized by Cricket West Indies (CWI), the camp running from May 14 to 23 will set the stage for the team ahead of a crucial tri-nation T20 series against Ireland and Pakistan, a contest designed to give the squad competitive match experience in conditions nearly identical to those they will face at the upcoming global tournament.
Over the course of the 10-day training block, the 16-member selected squad will fine-tune every dimension of their game through a packed schedule: intensive technical skill sessions, strategic tactical planning drills, realistic match simulations, targeted fitness conditioning, and collaborative team-building activities. This preparation comes as the Maroon Warriors prepare for their return to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup main draw, a moment the squad has worked toward for months.
Buoyed by a semi-final finish at the 2024 edition of the tournament, the team enters this preparation phase with clear ambition. Players and coaching staff alike note that the side has grown dramatically over the past two years, adding depth to their roster, sharpening their competitive edge, and boosting collective confidence after two years of high-level international play. The ultimate goal for the side is to repeat the historic triumph the team claimed 10 years ago, when they lifted the 2016 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy.
CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe emphasized the strategic logic behind scheduling both the training camp in Wales and the subsequent tri-series in Ireland, noting that the location and timing offer unique advantages for the team. “The opportunity to train in the United Kingdom and then also get the experience of playing competitive matches in Ireland in similar conditions immediately prior to the start of the June 5th tournament is invaluable,” Bascombe explained. “This period will be utilised to help the squad gel, cement gameplans and remain connected. We are looking forward to a great showing by several key veterans and the emergence of our future stars on the back of this extended preparation.”
This Wales camp is the latest step in a structured, long-term preparation pathway mapped out by CWI and team management, which has already included challenging white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Australia earlier in 2026. Following the conclusion of the camp, the team will travel to Ireland for the tri-nation series, kicking off their campaign against the host side on May 28 before wrapping up their group stage fixtures against Pakistan on June 3. Immediately after the tri-series, the squad will head to England for the World Cup, where they will play their opening tournament match against New Zealand on June 13.
Final trimmed squads for both the tri-nation series and the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be announced by CWI at a later date. The 16-member group currently in Wales for the preparatory camp is: Aaliyah Alleyne, Eboni Brathwaite, Shemaine Campbelle, Jahzara Claxton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Hayley Matthews, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack and Stafanie Taylor.