Calypso and history add to flavour of Women's World T20 2018
Sat, Oct 20, '18
Cricket holds a special place in the hearts of the people of the Caribbean, and expect a carnival atmosphere at the venues.
After a golden 2016, when Caribbean cricket teams won three ICC world titles, the West Indies will host their second ICC Women’s World T20 this November.When the baton passed to the region two years ago, they could not have asked for a better start. The Windies women had created history when they won the 2016 event in India, becoming only the fourth team since 1973 to win a global title. They returned home to a rousing welcome, including a motorcade in Barbados, alongside members of the victorious men’s side.
But in 2016, the Windies were the underdogs. Now they must deal with the pressure that comes with being defending champions playing at home. While they had a difficult campaign in the 2017 Women’s World Cup, their side remains formidable in the T20 format.
Captain Stafanie Taylor has established her credentials, and has consistently been in the top layer of the the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings among batters and all-rounders. Hayley Matthews, who won Player of the Match in the 2016 final aged only 18, is also among the leading all-rounders. And with Deandra Dottin, Merissa Aguilleira and Anisa Mohammed (the only bowler with more than 100 T20I wickets), there is plenty of experience in the ranks to complement upcoming talents like Natasha McLean. With the home team being defending champions, healthy crowds are expected for the tournament. The Windies will play at both group stage venues, starting their campaign against Bangladesh at Georgetown, Guyana. They will then shift to St Lucia for the remainder of their games. Cricket holds a special place in the hearts of the people of the Caribbean, and expect a carnival atmosphere at the venues.
Keep an eye out especially for the steel bands that often add to the atmosphere at the grounds. The Windies are of course the only international team to comprise multiple countries, each adding their own particular flavour and culture to the squad. It is a matter of great pride for the people there to don the maroon cap and be a part of a rich cricketing legacy, which includes a period where the men’s team dominated the world in the 1970s.
The Windies women are one of the fastest improving sides in recent years, and have already embellished that legacy. Their win in 2016 show-cased the global expansion of women’s cricket beyond the usual bastions of England, Australia and New Zealand. World cricket is richer when teams from the West Indies do well, and the Caribbean people will have high hopes from Taylor’s squad to put in an impressive show.
The latest edition of the tournament, the sixth, will be the first stand-alone event, a testament to the strides women’s cricket has made in the last decade.
Stafanie Taylor-led Windies aim to emulate Australia by defending their title in 10-team tournament from 9-24 November
England are the only ones to have won an ICC World T20 title in front of their home crowd.
The rising profile of women’s cricket, the fast-paced format and the Caribbean atmosphere will combine to create an entertaining mix at the ICC Women’s World T20 2018 in the West Indies from 9-24 November.
The tournament has come a long way since it was first held in 2009, alongside the men’s event. The semifinals and final were then played as double-headers, with both being televised, giving women’s cricket the best possible platform. The scenario has changed since and the sixth edition of the tournament will be the first stand-alone event, a testament to the strides women’s cricket has made in the last decade.The latest edition of the tournament, the sixth, will be the first stand-alone event, a testament to the strides women’s cricket has made in the last decade.
This is not the first time the tournament will be held in the Caribbean. The 2010 edition was hosted by St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Barbados. The Windies made it a memorable home tournament, making the semifinals of a global event for the first time.
On the way, Deandra Dottin scored the first T20I hundred in women’s cricket, off just 38 balls, which remains the fastest century till date. Australia beat England in a tied-Super Over in the group stages, and then the Southern Stars went on to beat New Zealand in the final in dramatic fashion.
With five to win off the last ball, New Zealand’s Sophie Devine connected a furious straight drive, which seemed destined to send the clash into yet another Super Over. But Ellyse Perry stuck her foot out to deflect the ball in her follow through, sparking wild celebrations, and giving Australia the first of three consecutive ICC World T20 titles.
Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) Marooners beat Barbados Pride by 125 runs in the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Round 7 Group B Day/Night match at Kensington Oval today. Set 260 to win, Barbados Pride were bowled out for 134 in 35.1 overs.
A brilliant century from Rahkeem Cornwall paved the way for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to win a 47-run victory over USA Cricket at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus on Thursday. Cornwall scored 125 not out from just 93 deliveries as the Hurricanes racked up 248-7 from 49 overs. USA Cricket responded with 131-7 from 36 overs when the rains came. According to the Duckworth/Lewis par score, USA would have had to score 178. Choosing to bat, The Hurricanes got into early trouble, losing their first two wickets for 18 runs. However, Devon Thomas (43), stabilized the innings along with skipper Jaison Peters, who scored a painstaking eight from 43 deliveries. When Peters became the fourth wicket down with the score on 74, Cornwall, who had replaced Thomas, stepped on the accelerator, and though he would lose partners regularly until Orlando Peters (27 from 57 deliveries) held down an end, the big allrounder continued to score quickly to ensure the total on the board was respectable. Cornwall struck five boundaries and six sixes in the innings that made the Hurricane’s total respectable.
CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) — Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy has pledged to buy a bulk of tickets for every match of next month's ICC Women's Twenty20 World Cup being played his homeland, in a bid to support women in sport and the global tournament.
Sammy, who twice presided over successful title-winning campaigns at the T20 World Cup, disclosed he will pay for a minimum of 50 tickets per day for all matches scheduled for Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia.
“This is one of my gifts to the females of St Lucia, to women's cricket, to women's sport in general. I want to make this pledge and I will pay for the tickets myself,” Sammy said yesterday.
“It is important that we show our support for this event in a meaningful way. This is the biggest sporting event to come to the Caribbean, involving women, and we must show the world what it means to us.”
Sammy was last month unveiled as a Cricket West Indies Ambassador to work on promoting the November 9-24 tournament, which will also be played in Guyana and Antigua.
The all-rounder, who also led West Indies in Tests and one-dayers, said he also wanted fans to explore the beauty of his homeland while enjoying the matches.
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