T&T, Barbados supply the core of West Indies’ U-19 World Cup build-up preparation

The next generation of West Indies women cricketers has moved swiftly from regional competition into an environment designed to prepare them for the international stage.

Cricket West Indies has selected 22 Under-19 players for a two-week High-Performance camp in Antigua, with Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados providing the strongest representation following their impressive performances in the recently concluded CWI Rising Stars Under-19 Women’s Championship.

Seven players from champion Trinidad and Tobago are included, while Barbados, which finished runner-up, contributes five.

The Leeward Islands supply four players, with the Windward Islands, Jamaica and Guyana each represented by two.

The camp began August 17 and runs through August 29, providing CWI with an immediate opportunity to continue evaluating and developing the players who could form part of the region's squad for the 2027 ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup.

No pause after the regional championship

CWI's decision to move the selected players directly from the Rising Stars Championship into High-Performance training was deliberate.

Rather than allowing the regional tournament to serve as the conclusion of the assessment process, the governing body has used it as the launch point for a more intensive development phase.

CWI High-Performance Manager Dwain Gill said the tournament provided valuable insight into how the players performed under pressure and responded to the demands of competitive cricket.

“The Rising Stars Championship gave us a valuable opportunity to see these players compete, respond to pressure and demonstrate their potential in a regional environment.

“We did not want that assessment process to end with the tournament. Bringing the selected players directly into camp allows us to build on what we have seen, work more closely with them and begin addressing the areas that will be critical to their progression,” Gill said.

The approach gives coaches the chance to work with the players while the lessons of the regional championship remain fresh.

It also signals that CWI's development pathway is being designed with a longer view than simply the next age-group tournament.

Building toward 2027 and beyond

The immediate target is the 2027 World Cup, but CWI views the camp as part of a broader effort to strengthen the women's game across the region.

“This is an important first step in building a group that can be competitive at the 2027 World Cup, while also developing players who can contribute to West Indies women’s cricket beyond the Under-19 level.”

The selection process therefore went beyond statistics from the Rising Stars competition.

CWI considered players' performances and technical assessments, their eligibility for the 2027 tournament, tactical understanding, temperament, competitiveness, fitness and the overall balance required within the group.

That combination is intended to identify not simply the most productive players of the regional competition, but those with the potential to progress into international cricket.

Developing the complete cricketer

The Antigua camp will address all facets of the players' development.

Technical and tactical work will be combined with physical conditioning and mental preparation, exposing the teenagers to the intensity and professional standards expected at the international level.

The objective is to help the players understand not only how to perform, but how to prepare, compete and handle the pressures that accompany higher-level cricket.

Leading the coaching group is senior West Indies Women's assistant coach Ryan Austin, who will work alongside Shane Dowrich and West Indies Academy head coach Ramesh Subasinghe.

Dowrich brings recent experience from the senior women's setup, including involvement with the West Indies Women during the ICC T20 World Cup in England and Wales.

Together, the coaching staff will provide the players with a blend of high-performance, senior women's and academy perspectives.

A regional pool with championship pedigree

The composition of the group reflects the competitive landscape of the recent Rising Stars Championship.

Trinidad and Tobago's seven-player representation underlines the strength of the team that captured the regional title, while Barbados' five selections reinforce the quality displayed by the runners-up.

The four selections from the Leeward Islands and two apiece from the Windward Islands, Jamaica and Guyana ensure that the camp retains a broad regional character.

The full 22-player group is: Eboni Brathwaite, Davehjah Brown, Zaniyah Bruce, CQuinya Dasent, Jessica Davis, Kaela George, Brianna Harricharan, Sabriel Headley, Allia Henry, Theanny Herbert-Mayers, Jadaeya Holder, Shriya Jairam, Danielle Manns, Jannah Mohammed, Brianna Plummer, Sian Ramnarine, Samara Ramnath, Zara Skerritt, Amrita Ramtahal, Jaeda Tyrell, Leanga Warner and Aaliyah Weekes.

The first step toward the world stage

For these 22 players, the transition from the Rising Stars Championship to an intensive High-Performance environment represents a significant escalation in expectations.

The regional tournament identified the talent. The Antigua camp now begins the process of refining it.

With the 2027 Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup on the horizon, CWI is seeking to build a group capable of competing internationally while creating a pipeline of players equipped to carry West Indies women's cricket forward long after their Under-19 careers are complete.

The message from the governing body is clear: the next generation is not being asked merely to wait for its opportunity.

It is being prepared for it now.