Nineteen-year-old Guyanese all-rounder Shabika Gajnabi has earned her second call up to the West Indies Women’s squad, having been included in the 13-member West Indies Women’s squad selected by Cricket West Indies (CWI) Interim Selection Panel, to play the three-match Colonial Medical Insurance One Day International (ODI) Series against Australia, starting on September 5 in Antigua.
Gajnabi, a three-time Guyana under – 19 skipper, brings a patient composure and strong arm to the squad. With a top score of 77 in the CWI Women’s Championship earlier this year and a handy economy rate, she gives Stafanie Taylor a bonus in both the batting and bowling lineups.
Meanwhile, Guyana’ Shemaine Campbelle who has been a steady fixture in the team, has been ruled out due to injury.
Currently ranked seventh in the ICC Women’s ODI Championship, the team will rely on its experienced players to fill the void left by Shakera Selman, Chedean Nation and Campbelle, who have all been ruled out due to injury.
CWI’s Interim Chairman of Selectors Robert Haynes offered his comments on the team’s selection.
“The panel selected the best available players from the camp in Antigua over the last month, as a result of most of our senior players being unavailable due to injury. We have included Anisa Mohammed and Kyshona Knight who have a lot of experience between them, which is required when playing against Australia, the top-ranked women’s team.”
Haynes added: “As a result of the injuries to our senior players, it gave us the opportunity to select two of our younger players in Shabika Gajnabi and Karishma Ramharack to give the captain more options in the bowling department.”
The West Indies Women will bowl off their home series against Australia in a day-night ODI at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. The remaining two matches will be played at the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium, before the tour moves to the Kensington Oval in Barbados for the three T20 Internationals. (Extracted and modified from CWI website)
FULL SQUAD: Stafanie Taylor (Captain), Hayley Matthews (Vice-Captain), Reniece Boyce, Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry, Shamilia Connell, Stacy Ann King, Natasha McLean, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Anisa Mohammed, Karishma Ramharack, Shabika Gajnabi
