分类： sports

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced a strategic departure from other cricketing nations by postponing its final squad selection for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. The decision means the team roster will remain undecided until the conclusion of a three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan, scheduled for January 19-22.

Miles Bascombe, CWI’s Director of Cricket, clarified the organization’s position in a recent television interview. He revealed that the official World Cup squad will be formally announced within 48 hours following the final match against Afghanistan on January 22nd. This timeline places the West Indies among the last teams to confirm their tournament lineup.

While most participating countries have already disclosed their provisional squads for the February 7-March 8 tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the West Indies submitted only the mandatory provisional list to the International Cricket Council (ICC). Bascombe explained that CWI explicitly informed the ICC about their intentional delay, preferring to use the Afghanistan series as a final evaluation period rather than risk subsequent changes to an early announcement.

The director emphasized the strategic advantage of having competitive matches against both Afghanistan and South Africa preceding World Cup warm-up games. This approach allows selectors to assess player form and team dynamics under actual match conditions before finalizing their tournament roster, potentially providing a competitive edge through more informed decision-making.

A significant stride toward gender parity in sports administration was made recently as the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) hosted a dedicated Women’s Leadership Workshop. The event, titled ‘Re-Presenting Female Leaders in Sport’, brought together thirteen aspiring and current female leaders from various local sporting organizations.

Marsha Boyce, a scholar in the esteemed Commonwealth Sport Women Leaders Programme for the 2024-2025 cycle, coordinated the initiative. The workshop received foundational support from both Commonwealth Sport and its regional body, Commonwealth Sport Barbados. Boyce articulated the primary objective of the intensive one-day session: to equip participants with the tools to identify their innate strengths and cultivate additional competencies essential for effective leadership within their respective sporting associations.

The urgent necessity for such initiatives was underscored by stark statistics. Boyce revealed that as of October 2025, a mere 13.3% of presidents across Barbados’s National Sporting Federations were women. She emphasized that this disparity is not a localized issue but a pervasive global trend, noting that Commonwealth Sport data indicates approximately 75% of executive positions in international sport are occupied by men. “Projects like this are necessary to encourage female administrators to step forward into the leadership roles they are more than capable of fulfilling,” Boyce stated, highlighting the program’s role in addressing the critical representation gap at the decision-making level.

Ryan Brathwaite, Commonwealth Sport’s Regional Development Manager for the Caribbean and the Americas, also addressed the attendees. He expressed his gratification in witnessing the workshop’s delivery and praised Boyce for translating her learning from the flagship Commonwealth Women Leadership Programme into “meaningful action.” Brathwaite elaborated on the programme’s structure, which provides 16 women leaders from across the region, including the Caribbean and Barbados, with a 12-month scholarship and dedicated mentorship to shape and strengthen their leadership potential.

Adding a profound philosophical perspective, BOA President Sandra Osbourne challenged the participants to examine their motivations for seeking leadership. She cautioned against simply replacing male leaders with female ones and urged a deeper commitment. “Leadership is more than a title, it’s a commitment to take responsibility, to lift others up, to build a culture where unity of purpose and talent – not gender – determine success,” Osbourne asserted. She encouraged the women to seek various positions of influence, reminding them that impactful leadership exists at all levels and is ultimately about using one’s influence as a force for good.

The highly anticipated CG United Women’s T20 Blaze competition commences Tuesday in St. Vincent with defending champions Guyana set to clash against Windward Islands in the tournament opener. This initial match at Arnos Vale Ground forms part of a competitive triple-header schedule, followed by Jamaica versus Leeward Islands, culminating with a historic rivalry showdown between Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.

The round-robin T20 Blaze will exclusively utilize the Arnos Vale venue before attention shifts to the Super50 Cup, which will be hosted across three locations: Sion Hill, Park Hill, and Cumberland. Daily matches will begin at 9:30 a.m., with each squad playing three games to determine the ultimate champion through final rankings. Guyana enters the competition seeking to defend their maiden regional title earned last year through an undefeated campaign that concluded with a dramatic Super Over victory against Jamaica. Meanwhile, Trinidad & Tobago arrives as current Super50 champions after defeating Barbados by seven wickets in the 2025 final.

Miles Bascombe, Cricket West Indies’ Director of Cricket, emphasized the strategic significance of these tournaments. “These competitions serve as a crucial foundation for an exceptionally demanding year in Caribbean women’s cricket,” Bascombe stated. “The CG United Women’s Super50 Cup and T20 Blaze establish essential competitive benchmarks as we prepare for an intensive international schedule featuring major bilateral series and the ICC T20 World Cup. Robust regional competition remains fundamental to our high-performance pathway, and we anticipate these tournaments will again identify and develop players ready for international success.”

Following the domestic season, the West Indies Women’s team will embark on a packed international calendar, hosting Sri Lanka for a white-ball series in late February before confronting Australia in a comprehensive all-format series in March. The summer schedule further intensifies with a tri-nation series involving Ireland and Pakistan, building toward the pinnacle event—the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup—for which the regional squad has been undertaking extensive preparation.

The Barbados squad, led by captain Aaliyah Alleyne, features experienced players including Shakera Selman, Shamilia Connell, and a blend of emerging talent ready to challenge for supremacy.

The 2026 Barbados Football Association Premier League commenced with an electrifying opening night at Wildey Technical Centre, featuring decisive matches that set the tone for the new season. Defending champions Weymouth Wales launched their campaign with a solid 2-0 triumph against newly promoted Bagatelle FC in Sunday’s fixture.

The match witnessed Wales capitalizing on an opportune own goal from Bagatelle during the first half, followed by veteran striker Armando Lashley—the league’s all-time leading scorer—securing the victory with a precisely executed second-half penalty. Despite the loss, Bagatelle demonstrated promising offensive maneuvers that challenged Wales’ defensive line, offering Coach Norman Forde positive aspects to build upon.

Weymouth Wales Head Coach Asquith Howell acknowledged the win while emphasizing the need for improvement. “Our performance reflected a team that has just returned to training after an extended break,” Howell stated. “We will undoubtedly elevate our game as the season progresses.”

The champions fielded a reshaped lineup following the departure of national team captain Andre Applewhaite, who recently signed a professional contract in the United States. New goalkeeper Shaquon Philips started ahead of national custodian Kishmar Primus, while former Deacons FC captain Keon Atkins made his debut as a substitute.

Howell addressed the integration of new players: “Training ground preparation will be essential for their adaptation. Each player brings distinct qualities—for instance, Atkins won’t need to assume the same workload role he previously held at Deacons.”

Having achieved domestic dominance throughout the past decade and notable success in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) competitions last year, Wales has established ambitious objectives for 2026. “We convened this week to outline our targets—retaining the domestic double and advancing further in the CFU Cup to qualify for the Club Championships,” Howell revealed.

In the evening’s subsequent match, Paradise FC claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over UWI Blackbirds, with Jaron Oughterson scoring a decisive second-half goal against his former team. Despite Paradise creating superior opportunities during the first half, Blackbirds’ goalkeeper K’den Hee Chung delivered several crucial saves to maintain a deadlock until halftime.

Paradise coach Mario Harte expressed satisfaction with the result while acknowledging developmental needs. “Securing three points remains paramount during this early phase,” Harte commented. “Integrating new players requires time, and competitive matches accelerate that process.”

Harte highlighted the significant challenge of replacing playmaker Sheran Hoyte, who departed for professional football in Trinidad after outstanding performances in the Prime Minister’s Cup. “Hoyte’s absence creates a substantial void—his knack for scoring crucial goals made him an invaluable asset,” Harte admitted.

The night’s final match saw Kickstart Rush overcome a one-goal deficit to defeat Brittons Hill United 2-1. Corey Hoyte opened the scoring for Brittons Hill in the 10th minute, before Tekyle Alleyne-Callender converted a 33rd-minute penalty and Liam Luke completed the comeback during first-half stoppage time.

Kickstart coach Renaldo Gilkes praised his team’s resilience despite missing several key players. “Brittons Hill consistently presents a tough challenge,” Gilkes noted. “Our experienced players provided vital guidance to younger teammates under pressure, demonstrating exceptional character to start the season positively.”