Source: Erasmus Williams FB
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — St. Kitts’ Jahzara Claxton has been named in the 15-member West Indies squad selected to compete in the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, to be held in England and Wales from June 5 to July 5.
The squad was selected following extensive evaluation by the selection panel and team management, with careful consideration given to the tactical and technical requirements needed for impactful and consistent performances in English conditions.
Building on months of preparation and analysis, significant emphasis was placed on assembling a group capable of maintaining aggressive scoring rates throughout the innings, adapting to both seam and spin bowling, and executing consistently under pressure in varying conditions across England and Wales.
Head Coach Shane Deitz said the squad reflects a deliberate strategy designed specifically for the demands of international cricket in England.
“We know that in these conditions, strong powerplay batting and sustained scoring through the middle overs will be critical to winning games. Our analysis showed that when we score positively in the powerplay—particularly getting beyond the 45-run mark—we give ourselves a much stronger opportunity to control matches. Conversely, with the ball, we need to restrict boundaries in the powerplay and throughout the innings.
We’ve therefore selected a group with flexibility at the top of the order—players who can handle both pace and spin effectively—and, importantly, batters capable of maintaining intent regardless of wickets lost. We have also ensured depth in the batting so we can continue attacking deep into the innings. Additionally, we wanted bowlers who can attack when necessary but also quickly shift into defensive modes and execute under pressure at every stage of the innings.”
Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe explained that the team’s preparation programme was intentionally designed to acclimatise the squad to the unique demands of English conditions, while building the consistency and momentum required ahead of the tournament.
“We have been very deliberate in how we structured the team’s preparation for this tournament. The camp in Wales was designed to immerse the players in conditions similar to those they will experience throughout the World Cup, allowing them to fine-tune both their technical execution and tactical awareness in that environment.
Equally important was creating opportunities for the group to build cohesion, confidence, and consistency together over an extended period. The tri-nation series in Ireland is another critical component, as it provides valuable competitive match exposure against quality international opposition immediately before the tournament. Every aspect of the preparation has been intentional in ensuring the players arrive at the World Cup fully adapted to the conditions, clear in their roles, and building positive momentum as a team,” he added.
The West Indies Women will face Ireland and Pakistan in the Evara Women’s International Tri-Series from May 28 to June 3 in Ireland, before travelling to England for the World Cup. They are scheduled to play two warm-up matches—against India on June 8 and Australia on June 10—before their opening group-stage encounter against New Zealand on June 13.
All matches in the Evara Women’s International Tri-Series will be streamed live on ICC TV, beginning at 11:00 a.m. (AST) / 10:00 a.m. (JA).