Taylor, Dottin in Windies World Cup squad

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

Jamaican Stafanie Taylor headlines the Windies’ 15-player squad for the ICC Women’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup in Australia next month. She will be joined by fit-again all-rounder Deandra Dottin, who is poised to play her first international in 12 months.

Taylor is returning after missing the recent T20 series against India with an injury.

Dottin was sidelined for most of last year, having picked up a shoulder injury and then forced to undergo surgery.

The 28-year-old Barbadian is the region’s most experienced Windies women’s player, with 110 T20 Internationals. She returned to action during a franchise tournament in Trinidad last month before resuming active Windies training during the pre-World Cup camp in recent weeks.

Squad changes

She is one of several changes to the squad, which faced India in a five-match series last November, with Lee-Ann Kirby, Britney Cooper, Shamilia Connell and Cherry-Ann Fraser all called up for the February 21 to March 8 campaign.

Veteran Stacy-Ann King, recalled last year following a three-year break, has been axed again while Kyshona Knight, Natasha McLean, and Shabika Gajnabi have all been also left out.

Chief selector Ann Browne-John said the return of Taylor and Dottin, who bowls sharp medium pace, was a filip for the side, especially with the experienced new-ball fast-bowling pair of Connell and Shakera Selman, both also fit again.

“The World Cup squad continues to show a blend of experience and young, emerging players,” Browne-John said.

“It is boosted by the return of captain Stafanie Taylor, who was out of the T20 series against India through injury. We are also pleased to welcome back Deandra Dottin who made a big impact on International cricket in the past few years until she was sidelined by injury.

“The two experienced fast bowlers, Connell and Selman, who have also been on the injured list, are now are back in the squad.”

Twenty-year-old Guyanese Fraser is the only uncapped player in the squad while Kirby, 32, played the last of her six international matches 12 years ago.

Cooper featured for Windies for most of last year but missed the India series.

Windies have been installed in Group B of the event with England, South Africa, Pakistan and Thailand.

The 2016 champions, the Windies, reached the semi-finals of the last tournament staged in the Caribbean before going out to eventual champions Australia.

SQUAD:

Stafanie Taylor (captain)

Anisa Mohammed (vice captain)

Deandra Dottin

Hayley Matthews

Chedean Nation

Lee-Ann Kirby

Britney Cooper

Shemaine Campbelle

Chinelle Henry

Afy Fletcher

Shamilia Connell

Shakera Selman

Sheneta Grimmond

Cherry-Ann Fraser

Aaliyah Alleyne