As cricket fans around the globe count down to a make-or-break Group 2 clash at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, West Indies off-spinner Karishma Ramharack has sounded a confident note, confirming her side fully understands the high stakes and is ready to take on host nation England at Lord’s this Wednesday, with a coveted semi-final spot up for grabs.
Both sides head into the fixture sitting unbeaten at the top of the Group 2 table, having picked up six points from two completed matches. England holds the upper hand heading into Wednesday’s game, however, boasting a far superior net run rate that puts them in pole position if results end level. For West Indies, their road to this critical fixture has been marked by consistent winning form: they opened their campaign with a stunning seven-wicket upset over defending champions New Zealand, followed by a seven-run victory over Scotland and most recently a five-wicket win against Sri Lanka, stretching their unbeaten run to three matches.
Ramharack noted that the team’s strong run at the tournament has not come as a surprise to the squad, despite inconsistent performances in lead-up matches before the World Cup. “I don’t know, we just show up for these types of tournaments and I feel like the girls understand the assignment. We’ve as a group collectively put our hands up at different times,” she said. “We have different players showing up for us and that’s really important for us as a group… As you said, the magic is just finding a way, and we’ve done that so far.”
The challenge facing West Indies is formidable, even with their current winning streak. England enters the clash as one of the pre-tournament favorites, having won each of their last five T20 matches in comprehensive fashion. History also favors the hosts: West Indies have only secured one win against England in their last five encounters in the format, with that single victory coming in 2024. England, by contrast, has beaten Ramharack’s side three times in 2025 alone.
Despite the stacked odds, Ramharack says West Indies is focused only on controlling what they can on match day. “Of course you know it’s going to be a really big game, I think what we can do is control what we can as a team, plan well, prepare well, and just execute as best as we can, but of course we’re looking forward to the atmosphere and playing at Lord’s,” she explained.
Should West Indies pull off an upset and secure their place in the semi-finals, Ramharack says the squad has no preference for which opponent they face next. “On the day it’s another game of cricket and whoever turns up, we’re going to turn up as well,” she said.
Addressing the fact that many analysts did not count West Indies among pre-tournament title contenders, Ramharack rejected the idea that the underdog label has given the side any extra advantage. “I don’t think we have thought of it much, but I feel like, as I said, it’s a tournament that we actually show up in. We’ve done it previously, and I think you know with three out of three wins right now, I’m sure a lot of people wouldn’t have thought that we would be here today,” she said.
For the squad, Ramharack emphasized that the ability to grind out results, paired with the strong team bond built through their early winning streak, has been the driving force behind their success. “The fact that we are finding a way as I mentioned before, finding a way is a big thing for us. That’s really, really important for us as a group, and I feel like the bond that we’ve created throughout winning brings positivity and a different type of feeling.”