Chinelle Henry will miss out on West Indies’ upcoming women’s tour of England due to a leg injury. Additionally, Rashada Williams has been excluded from the limited-overs squad, which includes three T20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals scheduled for later this month. Henry’s absence is regrettable, given she was pivotal as West Indies’ second-leading run-scorer at the ICC World Cup Qualifier in Pakistan, hitting 171 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 150.00. Meanwhile, Williams didn’t participate beyond the warm-up games.
In their stead, Jahzara Claxton and Realeanna Grimmond have been selected. Grimmond, aged 20, showcased her talent by scoring 46 off 53 balls in Guyana’s T20 Blaze competition, where she became the fourth-highest run-scorer. Claxton, 19, previously represented West Indies during the Women’s Under-19 World Cup and is poised, alongside Grimmond, for a potential international debut in England.
Shane Dietz, the West Indies head coach, urged the team to “reestablish ourselves as a world-class team” following their narrow escape from World Cup qualification, missing out to Bangladesh on net run rate. Reflecting on the upcoming tour, Dietz expressed enthusiasm: “Going to England is a fantastic opportunity to play one of the best teams in the world… We’ve got the T20Is first, and that’s where we’ve played our better cricket in the past 12 to 18 months.”
Dietz emphasised: “The talk is cheap off the pitch; we’re going to put that talk into action… It’s going to be an excellent tour for us to reestablish ourselves as a world-class team with world-class players.”
Miles Bascombe, CWI’s Director of Cricket, commented on the significance of the tour: “This upcoming tour of England offers our women an important opportunity to reassert themselves on the international stage.” He highlighted the value of the ongoing T20 Blaze competition, noting its role in keeping players match-ready.
The West Indies women are prepared to take on England with hopes of delivering outstanding performances both for fans attending the matches and those supporting from the Caribbean. The tour is not just a chance to test skills but also to reinforce the strong spirit associated with West Indies cricket as they aim to bounce back and make a statement on this international platform.
