The inaugural edition of the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in South Africa from January 14 to 29, 2023, and will consist of 41 T20I matches. The competing countries are Australia, Bangladesh, UAE, Scotland, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, USA, West Indies, South Africa, Ireland, Pakistan, Rwanda, England, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, and Indonesia.
The West Indies Women’s U19 team has played two training matches against England and Zimbabwe in South Africa and they have won the match against Zimbabwe and lost the match against England.
However, captain Ashmini Munisar spoke about her goals for the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup.
“I can’t explain the exact feeling, but the word overwhelming comes to mind, of the emotions that I felt when I got the selection call to the West Indies Women’s U19 team.”
Ashmini, a very humble and focused girl from Guyana, started playing cricket after her neighbor who played for Guyana’s under-19 boys team took her in to “knock” in their yard.
She gave credit to the selection committee for introducing her in the early years and stated that she did not expect to be the captain of the team.
“I honestly wasn’t expecting it, but I guess the selectors saw the ability and leadership qualities I had when they selected me for the role. When I met up with the rest of my teammates and I got to know them better, we all gelled well, and everything fell into place.”
Also, she said that she will work goal and want to make her family and coaches proud by being a successful cricketer.
“I set goals and work towards them but the biggest motivational factor for me is my family and coaches, knowing the amount of sacrifices and efforts they have put into me, I just want to make them proud.”
The petite, fried rice-loving teenager from Berbice hopes to make it to the West Indies senior women’s team in the future, but she said she is heeding the advice of one of her coaches in Guyana.
“focus on the task at hand with playing and captaining the U19 squad, to get the best out of her players and lead the team as far as possible into the final rounds of the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup and everything else will fall into place.”
The leader who commented further pointed out that the team has very quickly adapted to the time change and conditions in South Africa.
“We adapted better than we did during our last tour to India. The pitches here have much more bounce and are quicker than what we’re accustomed too. I want to use my skills as one of the main bowlers to put my team in a position to win.”
“We want to perform as best as we can, and our focus is to finish in the top two in our group and then refocus on the knockout stages.”
WEST INDIES WOMEN UNDER 19s SQUAD IS:
Ashmini Munisar (captain), Asabi Callendar, Jahzara Claxton, Naijanni Cumberbatch, Earnisha Fontaine, Jannillea Glasgow, Realanna Grimmond, Trishan Holder, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, K D Jazz Mitchell, Shalini Samaroo, Shunelle Sawh, Lena Scott, Abini St Jean