West Indies Women will begin their quest for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup glory on Saturday when they take on defending champions New Zealand at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton, with first ball scheduled for 1:30 PM AST.
The highly anticipated Group 1 contest marks the start of the Maroon Warriors’ campaign in a tournament that will see them face New Zealand, hosts England, Sri Lanka, Ireland and Scotland in the race for a spot in the knockout stages.
The West Indies enter the tournament with growing confidence after an extensive preparation programme that included a specialised conditioning and acclimatisation camp in Wales, warm-up fixtures against India and Australia, and a successful outing in the Evara Women’s International Tri-Series in Ireland, where they finished atop the standings ahead of Ireland and Pakistan.
The tri-series victory provided valuable match practice and momentum, with the West Indies producing dominant victories over both Ireland and Pakistan while showcasing encouraging signs with both bat and ball.
Head Coach Shane Deitz believes the team is fully prepared for the challenge ahead and is focused on making a strong start to the tournament.
West Indies 149 for 3 (Hope 65*, King 37; Hasaranga 2-32) beat Sri Lanka 147 for 9 (Kamindu 51, Kusal 36; Holder 3-18) by 7 wickets
The West Indies earned a tense win over Sri Lanka in the first T20 International at Sabina Park on Thursday. Three wickets from Jason Holder first helped the Caribbean side restrict the visitors to a modest total before a quick start from their openers pushed them ahead of the chase, laying the foundation for the 7-wicket victory.
Needing 148 runs to win, Windies openers Brandon King and Shai Hope shook off a nervy start to smash 66 runs from the first six overs. King was given a reprieve when he was caught off a Dushmantha Chameera no-ball on four in the second, and he capitalized by swatting three maximums while stoking a pair of fours on his way to a 22-ball 37.
Wanindu Hasaranga handed Sri Lanka the breakthrough in the seventh, bowling the Jamaican with 67 runs on the board. This brought Shimron Hetmyer to the crease, and the left-hander got into his work quickly, fashioning a 9-ball cameo before he too fell to Hasaranga for 17.
Even at the fall of Hetmyer’s wicket, the West Indies were well in control of the chase, needing 53 from 66. While the Sri Lankan spinners operated, however, the boundaries dried up, which saw the third-wicket partnership between Hope and Roston Chase chewing up 46 deliveries to produce 33 runs.
Australia 132 for 4 (Voll 77*, Beth Mooney 34; Joseph 1-6) beat West Indies 131 all out (Dottin 46, Claxton 15; Gardner 2-17) by 6 wickets
The West Indies went down to Australia by six wickets in their second and final warm-up encounter ahead of the start of the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Cardiff on Wednesday.
Deandra Dottin’s 46 helped push the Caribbean side to 131 all out from their allotment before opener Georgia Voll crunched 77 off just 48 balls to carry her bat and Australia to a convincing win.
The West Indies won the toss and elected to bat but struggled to get going as they lost two wickets in the powerplay.
Qiana Joseph fell to Lucy Hamilton for five before Aaliyah Alleyne was bowled for 10 by Sophie Molineux.
Captain Hayley Matthews (15) was bowled by Georgia Wareham to leave the West Indies 52 for three, but Dottin anchored the innings with a well-fought 46 off 38 balls.
Jewel Andrew and Shamar Springer have been included in the West Indies’ 15-member squad for the three-match T20 International series against Sri Lanka, scheduled for June 11–14 at Sabina Park in Jamaica.
This series marks the West Indies’ first T20 assignment since the team’s Super Eight exit at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in February and March.
The 2026 season of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League is set to feature four teams for the first time, with the newly formed Jamaica Empress franchise joining Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and Trinbago Knight Riders.
Jamaica Empress logo
This year’s competition will take place entirely in Barbados, with all matches being played over a ten-day period during the first two weeks of September.
A statement from the CPL revealed that, “The tournament has been re-engineered from the ground up to create a platform that celebrates and amplifies the unique voice of Caribbean women - a voice that is distinct, powerful and deserving of its own spotlight.”
“The WCPL is about much more than what happens on the field,” said Pete Russell, WCPL CEO. “We are creating a platform where women can be celebrated, communities can come together, and young girls can see clear pathways to success in sport and beyond.”
Hayley Matthews, WCPL player, said: “I’ve seen firsthand the impact of WCPL on women across the region. It’s powerful and far-reaching. It illuminates the potential in every girl, giving them not just visibility, but something to believe in and a dream to chase.”
