Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Kishore Shallow has acknowledged concerns regarding the recent performances of the West Indies women’s team, admitting that their results in recent international fixtures have not met expectations.
The regional side recently endured a challenging white-ball home series against Sri Lanka, losing the ODI series 2-1 and the T20I series 2-0. The outcomes have prompted questions about the team’s form and level of preparedness ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the coming months.
Speaking in an interview, Shallow confirmed that the issue had already been discussed with CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe. “I will definitely admit that there are concerns,” he said, noting that despite a few individual performances, the team struggled to match Sri Lanka’s consistency throughout the tour.
Among the positives was captain Hayley Matthews, who produced a century in the final ODI. Young batter Jannillea Glasgow also made an impression with back-to-back half-centuries, highlighting potential within the squad. However, Shallow admitted that the overall standards with both bat and ball fell short of what is expected from the team.
“A team that not too long ago was ranked below us in Sri Lanka beating us at home fairly convincingly was not an encouraging sign at all,” he said.
Shallow emphasised the need for the management group to quickly address the underlying issues impacting performances, particularly with a major global event approaching. He underlined that improvements would need to come promptly if the team is to regain confidence and competitiveness.
The CWI chief also expressed surprise that head coach Shane Deitz had not come under greater scrutiny amid the team’s recent struggles. With only a few months remaining on Deitz’s contract, Shallow indicated that discussions about his future with the side were likely to take place.
“I’m surprised that Shane Deitz is not getting more attention,” Shallow said, adding that he expects continued dialogue between the coach and the Director of Cricket.
Meanwhile, West Indies Women are preparing for another stern challenge as they get set to host the top-ranked Australia women’s national team in an upcoming white-ball series. The opening T20I is scheduled to be played at Arnos Vale Stadium.
While acknowledging the strength of their opponents, Shallow expressed hope that the regional side would show greater resilience in the series. “Australia is the number one team in the world but at least we have world-class players,” he said, adding that strong performances could enable the team to compete and potentially secure victories.
With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup fast approaching, the forthcoming fixtures are expected to serve as a crucial opportunity for West Indies Women to rebuild momentum and restore belief within the squad.
