Hayley Matthews to lead West Indies women’s team in Australia’s tour 

St. John’s [Antigua], September 12 (ANI): Star all-rounder Hayley Matthews will lead a youthful West Indies side during next month’s white-ball tour of Australia, as per ICC.

The West Indies named a 15-player squad for the six matches on Monday, with Matthews to captain the side in what will be the first tour for new coach Shane Deitz.

Deitz took over from West Indies legend Courtney Walsh earlier this year and the trip Down Under to take on the reigning ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup champions will be his first tour as coach.

The West Indies will play six matches (three T20Is followed by three ODIs) in three different Australian cities during October, with experienced spinner Karishma Ramharack returning to the squad after she missed the side’s recent series at home against Ireland.

Young quartet Ashmini Munisar, Djenaba Joseph, Zaida James, and Jannillea Glasgow also feature in the squad and chief selector Ann Browne-John believes her side has a strong blend of youth and experience at their disposal.

“The selection panel has chosen to maintain most of the players who were victorious in the home series against Ireland. Jannillea Glasgow, after having an outstanding Rising Stars Women’s Under 19 tournament, has been included in the 15-member squad and we see the return of Karishma Ramharack,” she said as quoted by ICC.

“This team is one we believe will continue to build and develop as our game evolves in the rapidly growing landscape and high-performance setting of women’s cricket. 

“We have continued to place confidence in some of the developing players. Several of the players are coming off title-winning performances in the Caribbean Premier League so we are expecting them to continue their good run of form. 

“This is a team we believe can produce competitive cricket against a top team like Australia, under the guidance of the new Head Coach and led by the captain Hayley Matthews who’s enjoying a very productive 2023 thus far.”

The ODI component of the tour of Australia will be part of the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship 2022-2025.

West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams

Tour schedule: 

October 1: 1st T20I, Sydney 

October 2: 2nd T20I, Sydney 

October 5: 3rd T20I, Brisbane

October 8: 1st ODI, Brisbane 

October 12: 2nd ODI, Melbourne 

October 14: 3rd ODI, Melbourne.