As the 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) draws near, Saint Lucian cricket allrounder Qiana Joseph has turned heads with a standout performance across the border in the United States, building critical momentum ahead of her return to the Barbados Tridents for the September 5-17 tournament hosted at Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval.
The 25-year-old West Indies veteran was one of the handful of international invites to feature for the Redmond Raptors at the Seattle Orcas Women’s T20 Exhibition, a pre-tournament showcase linked to Major League Cricket’s growing American program. The inaugural three-team event featured a core of emerging domestic talent from across the U.S., sprinkled with four top-tier players from the Caribbean to boost competitive depth.
Despite battling a flu that sidelined her briefly for Match #5, Joseph delivered a series of game-changing performances that cemented her status as the event’s breakout star. Bowling left-arm orthodox spin, she claimed four wickets across the competition while maintaining an impressively tight economy rate of just 5.50 runs per over. Her most iconic moment came in the fixture against Bellevue Blazers, where she bounced back from illness to score a blistering 54 runs off 41 deliveries, powered by seven fours and two sixes. Her knock anchored an eight-wicket victory for the Raptors, earning her well-deserved Player of the Game honors.
In comments after the standout win, Joseph opened up about pushing through illness to deliver for her side: “I have the flu, but I’m feeling much better today. So today, I just wanted to put up my hand and bat as long as possible, bring the game as close as possible for my team and come out victorious on the day. I was just playing every ball on its merit. Back myself, back my ability, my skills, and my strength also.”
The tournament marked Joseph’s first trip to the U.S. West Coast, and she praised organizers for launching what she described as a landmark initiative for growing women’s cricket globally. “It’s a great initiative. For me, it’s the first time coming all the way to Seattle, and it’s a great experience,” she said. “I really wish to come back again next year and more again. I love the tournament. I wish it gets bigger and better every year.”
The showcase concluded on August 23 with the home team Washington Waves claiming the inaugural title, defeating Bellevue Blazers in the final at Fairfield County Park in Monroe, Washington. For Joseph, the high-stakes exhibition provided the perfect warm-up, allowing her to test her form against new opposition ahead of one of the most anticipated women’s T20 leagues in the Caribbean this year.