Guyana 96 for 5 (Gajnabi 38, Munisar 17, Glasgow 1-10) beat Windwards 89 for 5 (Glasgow 41, Fletcher 33, Millington 1-13) by 7 runs
Defending champions Guyana defeated the Windward Islands by seven runs in the first game of the Cricket West Indies Women’s T20 Blaze on Tuesday, setting the tone for what would be a low-scoring opening round of matches.
It was the battle of the all-rounders in the first contest of the triple-header at the Arnos Vale Playing Field. Shabika Gajnabi top-scored with a 37-ball 38 to help Guyana to 96 for 5 from their 20 overs. Ashmini Munisar chipped in with 17, and opener Mandy Mangru hit 16.
Jannillea Glasgow led the Windwards bowlers, conceding 10 runs for the wicket of Realeanna Grimmond (8). While Captain Zaida James and Carena Noel had identical figures of 1 for 14. There was also a wicket apiece for Afy Fletcher and Holly Charles, who claimed 1 for 20 and 1 for 23, respectively.
The Windwards lost Ashlene Edwards (5) and James (1) early in their response, to be restricted to 19 for 2 in the fifth over, before Glasgow and Fletcher fashioned 59 runs for the third wicket. When Munisar had the latter caught at long-on for 33, the Windwards were comfortably in control of the chase, needing 19 from 16.
After scoring at a run a ball for the next ten deliveries, however, the equation for the final over read "9 from 6," with Glasgow stuck at the non-striker's end.
Plaffiana Millington then produced the perfect start to the ultimate over, prising the wicket of Earnisha Fontaine for 4. She followed up with a dot, which forced Glasgow into a suicide run in an attempt to get to the striker's end, resulting in her demise via run-out for a top-score of 41.
Millington conceded just the one run in the over to hand Guyana a winning start to their title defence by restricting Windwards to 89 for 5.
Brandon King is set to lead the West Indies for their three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan, scheduled for the Dubai International Stadium in the United Arab Emirates from January 19 to 22.
Resident white-ball captain Shai Hope is one of four players who will miss the trip due to their participation in South Africa’s ongoing SA20, along with Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein, and Sherfane Rutherford.
Fast-bowler Shamar Joseph and opener Evin Lewis have, however, been included in the team after recovering from injuries. Alzarri Joseph, on the other hand, has not been cleared to play.
West Indies Squad for Afghanistan T20Is
Brandon King (c), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales, Ramon Simmonds, Shamar Springer, Shimron Hetmyer
Following the completion of the Windwards T20 Championship, all six teams for Cricket West Indies’ Super50 Cup and T20 Blaze have been confirmed. Defending Blaze champions, Guyana will be without injured seamer Cherry Ann Fraser, while Barbados welcomes the return of their veteran Shakera Selman.
Resident Barbados captain Hayley Matthews will once again miss the regional campaign, which coincides with the ongoing Women’s Premier League in India. Other West Indians featuring in the WPL are fellow Barbadian Deandra Dottin and Jamaica’s Chinelle Henry.
Both the T20 Blaze and the Super50, which will be contested in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, will be streamed live on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel. This is a step back for the 50-over competition after its 2025 season marked the first time the tournament was broadcast live in its entirety on ESPN Caribbean.
The West Indies senior team has been out of action since their 2-1 T20I series win over South Africa in June, and CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe says the regional campaign must be considered a “critical starting point” ahead of an “extremely demanding” international season in a World Cup year.
On the back of series wins over Sri Lanka and England, the West Indies, on Tuesday evening, jetted off for the 2026 ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup full of confidence. Captain Joshua Dorne and his deputy, Jonathan van Lange, have already settled on their objectives for the competition, which will be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.
While Dorne, one of two returnees to the Windies side, is excited to once again experience “the exposure of playing in an ICC tournament and playing against different teams,” he has his sights set on penning a redemption arc.
Following four single-digit scores at 11.8 in the 2024 campaign, the Barbadian completed a stellar comeback in 2025, scoring 617 runs across 14 Youth Internationals at 47.46.
“Well, last time around it was pretty rough, so I learnt from that experience and came back,” he said, before determining, “[I’m] coming back stronger this time, for sure.”
Dwayne Bravo: ‘They had different plans and different ideas’
Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo says the decision to end his Test career at the age of 27 was not his. Bravo’s last appearance in the format came in a rained-out contest in Pallekele in 2010. Speaking on the Beard Before Wicket Podcast, the Trinbagonian said, contrary to assumptions, he had “made it very clear” he wanted to continue his Test journey.
“No, I didn't decide to give up Test cricket; [the board] decided to give me up,” he clarified. Bravo, who is the current Trinbago Knight Riders coach, says he attributes part of the blame to his current deputy at the Caribbean Premier League side, Ottis Gibson, who was Windies head coach at the time.
“My assistant coach, Ottis, is the guy who was the coach for the West Indies team back then when my Test career came to an abrupt end. Now I still give him the s--- about it.”
He, however, absolved then-skipper Darren Sammy of any guilt. “I didn't think it had anything to do with Sammy, because I think at that time, Sammy was a young captain, so he didn't have much influence or much say over what team was selected,” Bravo said, emphasizing that Gibson, as the head coach, did.
