ST JOHN’S, Antigua — The West Indies Women’s Senior Team has kicked off an intensive eight-week high-performance training camp in Antigua, setting the stage for what promises to be one of the busiest and most consequential years in the program’s history.
With six international tours, 15 One-Day Internationals, a Test match, and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on the horizon, 2026 looms as a defining year — and this camp, launched on October 20, aims to ensure the team is fully primed for the challenge.
Building the foundation for a defining year
The Maroon Warriors are charting an ambitious path, beginning their campaign by hosting Sri Lanka in February, followed by a full home series against Australia in March and April.
May will see the team in Ireland for a tri-series involving Pakistan and the hosts, before traveling to England for the T20 World Cup. After the global tournament, the squad returns to Ireland for a bilateral ODI series in July, takes on Zimbabwe in a white-ball tour during September and October, and closes out the year at home against Pakistan in December.
With roughly 20 senior players in camp, the focus is to have the core group in peak form by year’s end — physically, mentally, and tactically — ready to sustain excellence through a demanding calendar.
Three pillars of performance
The training program is anchored on three key pillars: strength and conditioning, individual skill development, and team culture and leadership. These elements are being refined through small-group sessions designed to provide personalized attention and foster accountability across the squad.
Head Coach Shane Deitz emphasized that this period represents an invaluable opportunity to shape the team’s competitive edge.
“Individual skill development is the main focus,” Deitz explained. “It’s also about getting our players focused on what they’re here to achieve, push harder than they’ve ever pushed before, and maintain that motivation to train every day. We only get this one opportunity to do this period of training, and what we do now will determine our success next year.”
Power, fitness, and fast cricket
A central aim of the camp, Deitz noted, is to produce cricketers capable of playing an explosive, crowd-pleasing brand of cricket.
“One area we’ve got to get right is our strength and conditioning and team fitness,” he said. “We need fast, athletic, and robust cricketers who can play the style of cricket we want — entertain the crowds, put on a massive show, and win lots of games — but also stay fit and healthy through a tough period.”
To that end, the coaching staff has tailored individualized programs focusing on endurance, agility, and high-intensity game situations — critical components for surviving a season that will test every ounce of stamina and resolve.
Shaping leadership and mental fortitude
Recognizing that a successful team depends on more than physical readiness, the camp also prioritizes leadership and mindset development. Mental Skills Performance Coach Nadine Sammy is spearheading initiatives to strengthen team unity, communication, and emotional resilience.
With the players expected to spend extended stretches together next year, building a cohesive environment and shared sense of purpose is a crucial part of preparation.
Long-term investment in excellence
CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe lauded the initiative as a vital part of the organization’s broader high-performance vision.
“This is an example of the intentional investment being made in high performance across all levels of West Indies cricket,” Bascombe stated. “The aim is to take a very individual approach to player development — providing each player with specific support in the areas that allow them to take their game to the next level. Whether it be skill development, strength and conditioning, or mental and leadership skills, this camp reflects our long-term objective of building a sustainable pathway to success.”
Bascombe added that initiatives like this reaffirm CWI’s commitment to producing world-class cricketers equipped to excel on the global stage.
Eyes on 2026
As the camp continues through early December, the focus remains firmly on readiness, resilience, and renewal. The West Indies Women — already semi-finalists in the last T20 World Cup — are determined to go one step further and reclaim global glory a decade after their last title.
The players will wrap up their Antigua stint the week of December 8 before returning home for the Christmas break, recharged and ready for a monumental year ahead.
