ANALYSIS
Follow UsThe year 2016 was indeed a memorable one in the history of West Indies cricket as the Under-19 boys carved their name in the record books by defeating India in the summit clash of the Under-19 World Cup.
While the win showcased glimpses of great things to follow in the Windies cricket, cricket frenzy fans of the Caribbean were in for a double delight in the T20 World Cup that followed in India.
After consistent performances in the lead up to the summit clash against the mighty Aussies, the Women in Maroon set foot at the Eden Gardens with a chance to create history.
In pursuit of 149 runs to clinch their maiden title, Stafanie Taylor anchored the run chase with a match-defining half-century to help the Windies inch closer to the title.
And, as Deandra Dottin smashed the winning runs, the team management and their male counterparts scheduled to play England in the evening encounter jumped the boundary ropes and danced on the famous champions gig to mark a new beginning for the women's team.
However, things have not gone their way ever since their championship, as they failed to produce consistent performances in the longer format of the game.
While a lot was expected from them in the 2017 World Cup held in England, the Windies failed to live up to all the hype and expectations and finished sixth in the points table with two wins in seven league matches.
With the World Cup set to commence in under a week's time, all eyes will be on Taylor and her team as they aim to rectify their record at the mega event and rattle the world of cricket with dominating performances.
They will be up against the home team in the inaugural match of the World Cup on Friday, 4th March, at the Bay Oval, and we at Cricket.com help you with a detailed analysis of the team ahead of the much-anticipated tournament.
Strength
Over the past couple of years, batting has been the strength of the Windies with the emergence of Hayley Matthews along with the formidable duo of Taylor and Dottin.
Despite being away from the game after a career-threatening shoulder injury, Dottin has bounced back in a commendable fashion to score a sublime 132 against Pakistan in her first overseas series after recovering from the surgery in 2021.
While she will be keen to showcase her skills at the international level, the 30-year old will be supported by Taylor, who in many ways has been the catalyst behind West Indies' rise at the international level.
In the 29 innings played thus far by the right-handed batter since the 2017 World Cup, she has scored 1236 runs at an average of 56.18, which is the best among players with a minimum of 20 innings.
With a wealth of experience in the international arena, West Indies will bank on their batting to guide them through the tournament and create an impact in this quadrennial event.
Weakness
While the batting unit has been shaping up well over the last few years, the team has been let down by their bowlers. In the 39 matches played thus far after the 2017 World Cup, West Indies have managed to win only 15 games and have a win percentage of 40.5 in ODIs.
In the 39 innings, West Indies have scalped 269 wickets at balls per wicket ratio of every 37.6 deliveries, which is the worst among the top seven nations.
One of the most significant reasons for their below-par performances with the ball has been attributed to their lack of ability to create inroads with the new ball.
The Women in Maroon have picked up a wicket every 69.8 deliveries in the first ten overs of the innings, the worst among teams with a minimum of ten innings, which highlights their struggle with the new ball, resulting in their downfall.
Opportunity
The last time Windies came agonisingly close to winning the elusive title was back in 2013, when they reached the final at the Brabourne Stadium against Australia.
Despite the final being a fairly one-sided affair, the Windies can take solace by their performances in the mega event that helped the team create a revolution back home.
There is no doubt on the amount of talent and skills in the Windies squad for the upcoming World Cup. The conditions on offer in the land of the Kiwis would also suit their aggressive style of play and could help them script history.
Threat
One of the glaring issues for the Windies in her bid to win the elusive title would be fielding standards set by the team since the last edition of the tournament.
With the wickets in the southern hemisphere set to be conducive for the batters, Taylor and the team management would hope for the team to work on their fielding and rectify their errors ahead of the World Cup.
Squad:
Stafanie Taylor (c), Anisa Mohammed (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Rashada William
Fixtures:
March 4 vs New Zealand
March 9 vs England
March 12 vs India
March 15 vs Australia
March 18 vs Bangladesh
March 21 vs Pakistan
March 24 vs South Africa
