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Taylor unavailable for West Indies tour of India

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Stafanie Taylor will not be available for the West Indies senior women’s multi-format tour of India. The team will compete in this series in three T20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals (ODIs).

The Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced that Captain Hayley Matthews will lead the squad. However, Taylor remains sidelined due to an injury.

Hayley Matthews of the West Indies poses for portraits during a media opportunity ahead of the One-Day International series between Australia and West Indies, at Allan Border Field on Oct. 07, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images

The tour starts on Dec. 15 with the T20I series at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai, followed by the ODI series at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium on Dec. 22.

The ODI leg carries a significant burden as it contributes points toward the ICC Women’s Championship.

Currently ranked sixth in both T20Is and ODIs, the West Indies Women will face a challenging series against India, who is third-ranked. Their previous visit to India in 2016 saw contrasting outcomes, with the West Indies sweeping the T20Is 3-0 but losing the ODI series by the same margin.

This tour allows the West Indies Women to build on their impressive semi-final finish in the Dubai ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

On the other hand, their opponents, India, recently secured a 2-1 ODI series victory over defending ICC Women’s T20 World Cup champions New Zealand.

Head coach Shane Deitz said, “We want to take the momentum we built at the T20 World Cup into this series. Competing against top teams has shown our potential, and while there’s room for improvement, this series is a great opportunity to elevate our performance further.”

Deitz also highlighted the importance of gaining exposure in India. “Playing in front of Indian IPL teams opens up franchise opportunities for our players. This is essential for their development and the growth of women’s cricket in the region.”

West Indies Women’s Squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Nerissa Crafton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, and Rashada Williams.