Cricket West Indies announce squads for the inaugural women's Caribbean Premier League

Cricket West Indies (CWI) have announced the list of local players selected by the three franchises for the inaugural edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

All three teams - Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and Trinbago Knight Riders have been drafted from a pool of players put together by Cricket West Indies’ selection committee.

33 players have been picked from across the Caribbean islands and the franchises will also get to sign three overseas players bringing the total squad size to 14. The overseas signings are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Deandra Dottin will be captaining the Tribango Knight Riders, while Hayley Matthews will lead the Barbados Royals and Stefanie Taylor will be heading the Guyana Amazon Warriors respectively.

A full-fledged women's Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament will take place alongside the men's event in 2022. The three-team inaugural women's CPL will be held during the CPL tournament window from August 30 to September 30.

The Cricket West Indies’ President Ricky Skerritt stated that the inaugural edition of the Women’s CPL represents a huge upward step for cricket in West Indies.

“This inaugural Women’s version of the CPL represents a huge upward step for West Indies cricket. I am grateful to all those in CPL and CWI who made it happen, especially the three pioneering franchises who have so willingly got on board,” said the Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Ricky Skerritt.

CPL’s CEO Pete Russell is pleased to see the Women’s Caribbean Premier League becoming a reality as he believes this is the next "logical step" to grow the brand.

“A Women’s CPL is the next logical step as we grow the brand, and we are very pleased that we have been able to make this a reality in 2022. We are grateful to the CWI, the Barbados Royals, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, and the Trinbago Knight Riders for working with us on this ground-breaking tournament and we look forward to showcasing the tremendous skills of all these talented players,” said Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s CEO.

"The Caribbean and particularly Barbados is a destination which has always been so deeply invested in cricket, and to have a team in the region which will serve as a pillar of growth for the women's game in and around the island nation, was such an exciting opportunity for us at the Barbados Royals. Having attracted huge popularity, not just in the Caribbean, but also in cricket-playing nations around the world, the CPL has been able to realise its value and also the impact it can create on grassroots development. With this new competition for women, it gives us the opportunity to accelerate the growth and development of female players and coaches, while attracting the next generation of talent to the sport," Jake Lush McCrum, CEO, Barbados Royals, and Rajasthan Royals said.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the inaugural Women’s CPL and we would like to thank CPL and CWI for making this happen. The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) family is excited to be at the forefront of advancing Women’s cricket, both in the region and worldwide, and we are hopeful that this newest format will provide a platform for empowering female athletes, as well as highlighting inspiring role models for young girls. The dynamic GAW Women’s team, led by the impressive Stafanie Taylor, is a welcome and powerful addition to the CPL," stated Dr. Bobby Ramroop, owner of the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

"We are proud to announce our first women's team under the Knight Riders banner, and are eagerly looking forward to watching the ladies represent TKR in the inaugural Women’s T20 competition in this year's Caribbean Premier League. We are always most supportive of such initiatives and are on a continuous lookout to expand the sport across the globe and across demographics. We are therefore particularly thrilled to support the launch of women’s T20 in the Caribbean and would like to congratulate and thank CWI and CPL for taking the initiative to launch the Women’s editions this year," said Venky Mysore, Director, Trinbago Knight Riders.

Women’s CPL Complete Squads:

Barbados Royals: Hayley Matthews (c), Shakera Selman, Reniece Boyce, Mandy Mangru, Britney Cooper, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shanika Bruce, Afy Fletcher, Qiana Joseph, Japhina Joseph, Chinelle Henry

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Stafanie Taylor (c), Shemaine Campbelle, Rashada Williams, Rachael Vincent, Kaysia Schultz, Chedean Nation, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Shamilia Connell, Karishma Ramharack, Shabika Gajnabi, Zaida James

Trinbago Knight Riders: Deandra Dottin (c), Lee Ann Kirby, Kyshona Knight, Kycia Knight, Anisa Mohammed, Natasha McLean, Shawnisha Hector, Sheneta Grimmond, Caneisha Isaac, Jannillea Glasgow, Steffie Soogrim