In a scathing critique of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and major cricketing nations, Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Johnny Grave has accused the global cricketing body of deliberately obstructing the resurgence of West Indies cricket by maintaining an unjust economic model.

Grave's outburst follows the West Indies' impressive performance in their tour of Australia from January to February 2024. The underdog West Indies, led by captain Kraig Brathwaite, secured a historic Test series draw against Australia, marking their first Test victory on Australian soil in 27 years.

In a podcast with Daniel Gallan, Grave expressed his frustration, stating, "I think everyone is a bit sick of the phrase - world cricket needs a strong West Indies - when we definitely feel that world cricket is doing everything they can at almost every level to make sure that West Indies Cricket are never strong again."

One of Grave's primary grievances is with the ICC's revenue share model, which he deems flawed. Grave alleged that West Indies' share of the revenue has dwindled from seven to five percent under the current model, despite headlines suggesting an increase in financial support.

"I think that's the borne of the frustration of that as Ian Bishop says in his own words that this is a patronising tone. If you really want a strong West Indies Cricket, it would actually not be that hard to do a bit more. ICC are giving us more money in headlines but our percentage of revenue has gone down from seven to five percent, which we struggle to understand," Grave explained.

The CWI CEO questioned the cricketing community's commitment to fairness, stating, "If we all just are looking after ourselves then are we really acting as a community? Are we putting the best product on the field?"

This is not the first time Grave has criticized the ICC. In January, he had raised concerns about the economic disparity, claiming that the West Indies made no money from the men's and women's tour of Australia series, with the majority of revenue going to Cricket Australia.

"The revenue-share model is completely broken," Grave stated. "If we really want to operate as a cricketing community, we are only as strong as the weakest team, and we've got to change the mindset of bilateral cricket.

 "CWI has spent over USD$ 2 million sending teams to Australia in the last four months, and whilst CA have received all the economic benefits from those series, we've seen zero dollars back. Is that really fair, reasonable, and sustainable?"

The 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League will take place from 28 August to the 6 October with final will once again taking place in Guyana with the National Stadium in Providence hosting the conclusion of the Men’s event for the third year.

The tournament plans to have matches in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago, Once again, the window for the CPL will not clash with West Indies fixtures so the best Caribbean talent will be on show at the Biggest Party in Sport.

Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said: “We are very pleased that this window allows the CPL to give the best players from the Caribbean the opportunity to showcase their talents. The window also allows CPL franchises to sign the best available international players after successful discussions with other leagues to avoid the same clashes we had in 2023. As always,we would like to thank Cricket West Indies for their help and support in finding a window that works so well for all stakeholders.”

Johnny Grave, Cricket West Indies CEO, said: "We are pleased to have once again worked closely with the CPL to strategically prioritize this window so that all West Indian cricketers can participate in the full CPL tournament once again. With the 2024 CPL taking place just two months after hosting the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the region, it provides another fantastic opportunity for our fans to enjoy some world class exciting T20 cricket and for our regional governments to benefit from more cricket generated economic activity.”

 

In a groundbreaking development for West Indies cricket, Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) have inked a new four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This historic agreement signed inside the studios of Sportsmax Ltd on Thursday, solidifies their commitment to advancing gender pay equity within West Indies cricket, marking a significant step towards fostering an inclusive and progressive cricketing framework.

The MOU, spanning from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2027, outlines comprehensive plans to achieve parity in international and regional match fees, international captain’s allowances, international team prize money, and regional individual prize money for all West Indies cricketers by October 1, 2027.

One of the major highlights of this strategic initiative is the alignment of performance grading criteria for international women's and regional men’s contracts with established standards for international men, creating a uniform evaluation process across domestic and international cricket from October 1, 2024.

Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies, expressed his enthusiasm about the landmark agreement, stating, "This is a historic day for West Indies cricket. As we overhaul the compensation structures and align performance grading, we are taking a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and progressive cricket framework. This step reflects our unwavering commitment to gender equality and acknowledges the immense contributions of female players to West Indies cricket."

President Shallow further emphasized, "In the preceding year, we undertook substantial enhancements to our travel policy, mandating that the West Indies Senior Women’s team travel business-class on all extended international flights and are accommodated in single rooms during international assignments. This aligns seamlessly with the established policy for West Indies Senior Men's tours. Today, with the signing of this MOU, we take another significant stride in narrowing the gender gap within our cricketing community."

Provisions of the MOU:

The MOU introduces compensation enhancement opportunities for both International and Regional Men, underlining CWI's commitment to acknowledging and rewarding excellence. Some of the key provisions include:

Increased Prize Money: Significantly increased team prize money throughout the system and new individual player rewards.

Match Fees: Full match fees for players in the starting XI and 80 percent for reserves, effective October 1, 2024.

Retainers for Overseas Tournaments: All retainers on hold once a NOC is issued for an overseas domestic franchise tournament, effective October 1, 2024.

Multi-Year Retainer Contracts: The potential for CWI and Franchises to award multi-year retainer contracts, up to 3 years.

Parity in Fees: Increased international and regional match fees and ICC Tournament fees for all women’s cricketers, to achieve parity by October 1, 2027.

Increased Men’s Match Fees: Increases for international and regional men’s match fees, effective October 1, 2023.

Performance Grading Alignment: Alignment of international women’s contracts and regional men’s contracts with the performance grading established for international men.

Family Support: Provision of a hospitality box and ground transportation for players’ families at all international home series matches.

Johnny Grave, Chief Executive Officer of Cricket West Indies, expressed pride in embarking on this journey towards gender pay equity, stating, "The significant increases for our female players demonstrate our dedication to rewarding excellence and promoting fairness in our cricketing community. The increases in prize money, greater rewards for our best-performing players, and higher match fees for players in the starting XIs are all strategic moves to place a greater emphasis on winning."

Wavell Hinds, President and CEO of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), affirmed the historic nature of this moment, saying, "Without a doubt, this is a truly historic and exciting time for our membership as the MOU addresses most levels of our pay scale. As we operate within a very fluid cricketing landscape, we are duty-bound to conscientiously reward our regional and international players within the constraints of CWI's budget and agree on policies that will produce and promote world-class performances."

The MOU signifies a major milestone in West Indies cricket, reinforcing the region's commitment to building a cricketing landscape that is equitable, diverse, and inclusive.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced the 2024 West Indies Championship schedule, confirming the expansion in the number of participating teams and rounds for the premier four (4)-Day competition.

After a winning performance in the Headley-Weekes tournament in 2023, the West Indies Academy are all set to make their debut in the West Indies First-Class season, along with the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) who are making a return, re-joining the tournament after a few years’ absence.

The 2024 West Indies Championship is set to begin in February, with the opening three rounds spanning from 7 to 24 February. In the first block of games, matches will take place in two Host Countries: St. Kitts and Nevis at two venues, Warner Park and the Conaree Cricket Centre, and in Jamaica, at three venues, Sabina Park, Kensington Cricket Club, and Chedwin Park. The second block of matches resume on 13 March, with the fourth and fifth rounds scheduled to be held in Trinidad and Tobago at the Queen’s Park Oval, the Diego Martin Sports Complex and the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground at UWI Spec, and in Antigua and Barbuda at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. The tournament will then restart after Easter with the final two rounds from 10 to 20 April with matches in Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The competing eight regional teams fighting for the Headley Weekes Trophy over seven (7) rounds of matches are – defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles, Barbados Pride, Combined Campuses and Colleges, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, West Indies Academy and Windward Islands Volcanoes.

The 2024 West Indies Championship will have a significant increase in prize money with the winning team receiving US$250,000, while second-placed team will receive US$100,000.

Johnny Grave, CWI Chief Executive Officer said: “We are pleased to announce the schedule for the upcoming West Indies Championship and welcome two new teams and an expansion in the number of matches. With significant upgrades taking place at all the host venues for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June and additional improvements being made to the National Stadium in Grenada and Windsor Park in Dominica, we are using nine venues across Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda and Trinidad & Tobago. The eight teams will be fighting hard for the Headley Weekes Trophy and the new prize money of US$250,000 available to the winning team. All the games will be shown live on our YouTube channel, with live ball-by-ball scores on our website so that fans around the region and world can watch and follow the competition unfold over the next three months.”
The West Indies Championship will run from 7 February to 20 April. Fans can stream all the matches live on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel and access live ball-by-ball scoring here in the match centre.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
West Indies Championship 2024
7 to 10 February:

Jamaica Scorpions vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - Sabina Park, Jamaica

CCC vs Barbados Pride - Chedwin Park, Jamaica

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs West Indies Academy - Warner Park, St. Kitts

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Conaree Cricket Centre, St. Kitts

14 to 17 February:

Jamaica Scorpions vs CCC - Sabina Park, Jamaica

Barbados Pride vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - Kensington Cricket Club, Jamaica

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Warner Park, St. Kitts

Trinidad &Tobago Red Force vs West Indies Academy - Conaree Cricket Centre, St. Kitts

21 to 24 February:

Jamaica Scorpions vs Barbados Pride - Sabina Park, Jamaica

Windward Islands Volcanoes vs CCC - Chedwin Park, Jamaica

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Trinidad &Tobago Red Force - Warner Park, St. Kitts

West Indies Academy vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), Antigua

13 to 16 March:

Trinidad &Tobago Red Force vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

CCC vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes - Diego Martin Regional Complex, Trinidad

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Barbados Pride - Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground at UWI Spec (UWI SPEC), Trinidad

West Indies Academy vs Jamaica Scorpions - CCG, Antigua

20 March to 23 March:

Trinidad &Tobago Red Force vs Barbados Pride - Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Jamaica Scorpions - Diego Martin Regional Complex, Trinidad

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - UWI SPEC, Trinidad

West Indies Academy vs CCC - CCG, Antigua

10 to 13 April:

Jamaica Scorpions vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Sabina Park, Jamaica

CCC vs Trinidad &Tobago Red Force - Chedwin Park, Jamaica

Leeward Hurricanes vs Barbados Pride - UWI SPEC, Trinidad

West Indies Academy vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - CCG, Antigua

17 to 20 April:

Jamaica Scorpions vs Trinidad &Tobago Red Force - Sabina Park, Jamaica

CCC vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Kensington Cricket Club, Jamaica

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - UWI SPEC, Trinidad

West Indies Academy vs Barbados Pride - CCG, Antigua

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Two-time champions West Indies will kickstart their ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup campaign against Papua New Guinea, as the fixtures for the ninth edition of the tournament was revealed on Friday.

The event to be co-hosted by West Indies and the United States of America is scheduled to run from June 1-29.

West Indies, having won the title in 2012 and 2016, will begin their hunt for a third title against Papa New Guinea at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday, June 2.

This tournament will see a record 20 teams divided into four groups competing across 55 games for the right to be crowned T20 World Cup Champions 2024. Along with the co-hosts, the list also includes Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Uganda.

These 20 teams have been divided into four groups of five, with the top two teams progressing to the Super Eights:

Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and the USA

Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland and Oman

Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda and Papua New Guinea

Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and Nepal

ICC's Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks an exciting expansion of our sport with more teams than ever before set to compete in this event.

"It’s going to be an incredible spectacle bringing together 20 international teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia, East-Asia Pacific and Europe. The release of the fixtures is made even more exciting for fans as we enter a new frontier, with the USA hosting a major ICC event for the first time. With 16 matches being played across three venues in the USA, it allows us to make a statement in the world’s biggest sports market. It will also be great to have an ICC event back in the West Indies, which has such a rich history of the game. It has hosted World Cups with great success in the past and this tournament will certainly provide a boost to the game there, especially with the final being played in Barbados," he said.

The event commences with the two co-hosts starting their campaigns on the first two days of June. United States of America will take on Canada in the tournament opener at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas on Saturday, June 1.

One of cricket’s biggest rivalries will take place in one of the world’s most iconic cities, with New York to host India and Pakistan on Sunday, June 9. The fixture will be played in a cutting-edge 34,000-seat modular stadium just 30 miles east of downtown Manhattan in Nassau County, New York. Eight matches will be played at the venue.

Defending champions England will begin their title defence on Tuesday, June 4, in Barbados against Scotland, and 2022 finalists, Pakistan, will get their challenge going on Thursday, June 6, when they play the United States in Dallas.

Among the plethora of blockbuster matchups scheduled in the group stage, fans can look forward to Sri Lanka taking on South Africa in New York on Monday, June 3, while England will go up against archrivals Australia in Barbados on Saturday, June 8. Another highly anticipated fixture will see the West Indies taking on New Zealand on Wednesday, June 12, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

First-time qualifiers Uganda will play their first ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixture in Guyana against Afghanistan on Monday, June 3. Nepal, who qualified for the T20 World Cup for the first time since 2014, will open their campaign against Sri Lanka in one of four matches to be played at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

Upon completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each of the four groups will move into the Super Eight stage of the competition. Teams seeded first and second in their groups in the first round, will retain that seeding in the Super Eight, provided they qualify. Super Eight matches are scheduled to be played in popular Caribbean tourist destinations Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The two top teams from each group in the Super Eight will progress to the semi-finals, which will be held in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 and 27 respectively. The final will be held at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday, June 29.

Johnny Grave, CWI's Chief Executive echoed similar sentiments.

“The announcement of the match schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks a significant milestone in our preparations for this year’s tournament.  We know that teams, fans and cricket enthusiasts worldwide have been eagerly awaiting this announcement, and now that it is available, it provides a roadmap for the thrilling journey that lies ahead. In addition to the match fixtures, the announcement also highlights the host countries and iconic venues that will set the stage for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

“Each host country and city will bring its own unique flavour to the tournament, and fans from every corner of the globe can expect an exciting blend of T20 cricketing entertainment, local culture and warm hospitality. From classic rivalries to history making upsets and continental showdowns, fans can start looking forward to an action-packed month of games at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next June, and we encourage everyone to get tickets as soon as they go on sale as we expect the demand to be high," he noted.

Meanwhile, Peter Hutton, chair of T20 World Cup Incorporated, the entity established in the USA to deliver the event, is excited at the opportunity.

“The USA is already one of cricket’s biggest audiences for ICC events and bringing the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to New York City, Dallas and Florida is a massive opportunity to exponentially grow the sport. We’ve got three fantastic venues to host matches and we strongly encourage fans in the USA and around the world to start planning to secure their tickets for what will be a unique cricket spectacle featuring the best players in the world," said Hutton.

 

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has confirmed several organisational changes at the start of a significant year, that will see the launch of a new four-year strategic plan (2024-27) and the hosting of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June.

Johnny Grave, Chief Executive Officer of CWI, stated, “As an organization, we are dedicated to nurturing a culture of continuous evolution and improvement. We are steadfast in our pursuit to maximize our human capital, engage the best talent, and foster an environment where excellence thrives throughout the entire system.”

Grave also revealed that “We have concluded a thorough appraisal process, resulting in the realignment of responsibilities of some of our team members. As part of this process, while some contracts have reached a natural conclusion, including those of Dominic Warne, Commercial, Marketing and Communications Director, and Philip Spooner, Media and Public Relations Manager; both individuals will continue supporting us in the extremely important year ahead, in new roles working directly on the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June. We appreciate their contributions and dedication to our organization and remain committed to their involvement in this significant period.”

One of the components being assessed as part of the new cricket strategy is the selection system. CWI will further explore the strengthening of this area, building on the established policy from the 2019 selection review.

Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket at CWI, emphasized the importance of this review, stating, "We are dedicated to refining our selection processes to better serve the needs of West Indies cricket. The ongoing evaluation and restructuring efforts are integral steps toward achieving this goal."

Bascombe elaborated that the review has resulted in some immediate changes in structure and personnel. “The review has been planned to coincide with the end of the contracts of some selectors to enable a seamless transition. CWI expresses its gratitude to Roland Butcher, Travis Dowlin, and Robert Haynes, whose tenures ended on 31 December 2023. Their dedication has been laudable, and CWI acknowledges their significant role with gratitude.”

CWI has taken the decision not to immediately replace these selectors until the completion of the review process. The remaining Lead Selectors shall continue to serve under their existing contracts with CWI.

Bascombe further added, “Coach Development Manager, Chris Brabazon, has also left the organisation to take up a new role back home in Australia.  We are grateful for the tremendous contribution that Chris has made over the past 4 years, which has seen the introduction of a comprehensive range of coaching courses and accreditations, resulting in over 1,000 newly certified coaches in the region.”

CWI reaffirms its commitment to fostering an environment of continuous improvement and transparency within its operations. The recruitment process for a new Commercial Director and Coach Development Manager will begin imminently.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has moved to provide clarity on the ongoing process of venue selection for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup scheduled to take place in the Caribbean and USA in June 2024.

CWI acknowledges the enthusiasm and interest expressed by various governments, cricket boards, and stakeholders in hosting the highly anticipated tournament. However, there has been some confusion over how the process works, especially in light of recent developments wherein Barbados Cricket Association President Conde Riley claimed that Barbados has been selected to host the finals of the tournament next June.

Those claims have been debunked by CWI President Dr Kishore Shallow.

So, what is the actual truth?

CWI Chief Executive Officer Johnny Grave explained, stating, "Following a robust selection process of our seven host venues, CWI-appointed Venues Selection Committee, chaired by President Dr. Kishore Shallow, has made recommendations to the ICC on allocations of matches for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled to take place in the Caribbean and USA in June 2024."

Grave acknowledged the commendable efforts made by nations within the region; however, he emphasized that final decisions have yet to be reached.

"These recommendations are subject to venues confirming commitment to all required obligations and ICC approval,” explained.

“We are delighted by the enthusiasm and interest expressed by our host governments and cricket Boards and appreciate the hard work and commitment shown as we look to deliver a spectacular Men's T20 World Cup next year. We will now work with the ICC, our hosts and ICC Members to finalize the match schedule in the coming weeks."

Cricket West Indies has rubbished reports about the International Cricket Council (ICC) possibly asking England to step in and hist next year’s ICC T20 World Cup, originally scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the USA.

A number of media outlets including CricTracker, Sportskeeda and the Daily Mirror have reported that the venue shift is being considered due to a lack of infrastructure in the USA but CEO of Cricket West Indies, Johnny Grave, denied these claims and questioned the source of the information.

“No!” was Grave’s answer when asked about the validity of the claims being reported.

“I don’t know where that’s coming from. I’m in London for the World Test Championship final and I’ll be here again for the ICC Annual General Meeting (AGM) in a few weeks’ time so who knows what the agenda is. There’s no truth to it,” Grave added.

The West Indies previously hosted the ICC T20 World Cup in 2010.

Jimmy Adams is out as Cricket West Indies Director of Cricket and the regional government body has commenced a search for his replacement.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced on Wednesday that the recruitment process for a new director of cricket has begun as the role will become vacant at the end of June when Jimmy Adams' contract expires.

Adams, who played 54 Tests and 127 One-Day Internationals for the West Indies, has been in the role since January 2017.

“We are extremely grateful for the leadership and contribution that Jimmy has made over the past six and half years," said CWI CEO Johnny Grave.

"He has overhauled our High-Performance structure, especially with respect to Coach Education and Development, Sport Science and Medicine and most recently with the launch of our Academy based at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua. I have no doubt that Jimmy will continue to contribute to the game, particularly West Indies Cricket.”

Meanwhile, CWI President Dr. Kishore Shallow, lauded Adams for his contribution to West Indies Cricket.

“Jimmy has always served West Indies Cricket with passion and distinction. His composed demeanor and professionalism have inspired many positive outcomes over the years," said Dr Shallow.

"One of his legacies would definitely be the commencement of a coaching revolution in the region. On behalf of the CWI Board, we wish him a favorable future path.”

 Adams said serving West Indies cricket has been a privilege.

“It's been an honour to have been involved in the ongoing evolution of CWI," he said.

"I have had the privilege of working with some amazing people across the organization and am grateful for all the support they gave me over the past six plus years. I wish everyone all the best going forward especially in light of the various challenges that exist both regionally and globally.”

Under the leadership of Jimmy Adams as Director of Cricket, CWI started a Coach Education & Development Department that created a new set of CWI coaching courses and accreditations that has seen over 1,000 new certified coaches in the region; launched the Men’s Academy, based at CCG in Antigua; started an U19 Regional Women’s Tournament, Women’s ‘A’ Team series and the Women’s Caribbean Premier League and established a Sports Science & Medicine Department to drive a fitness culture.

He also implemented a new Selection Policy that included appointing separate Women’s and Youth Selection Panels as well as established the High-Performance Coaching Group.

 

Cricket West Indies (CWI) is undertaking a thorough bid process for Caribbean countries wanting to host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the West Indies and USA in June next year.

Countries have been required to demonstrate their ability to deliver a world-class venue and stage the matches by providing match and training facilities, undergo a venue inspection, provide immigration, customs, medical and security support, as well as other operational and logistical requirements including accommodation for the members of the teams, match officials and broadcast crew.

Visits to Caribbean venues that are contemplating submitting proposals to host ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches started on Wednesday, 26 April. A small team will visit each country to look at facilities and discuss the pathway to becoming a host country. A similar process will also be followed to identify venues to host matches in USA.

Countries selected will have the opportunity to promote themselves to a global audience of over one billion people from all over the world. This tournament will also inject significant investment into the economy of each host nation.

 “We are delighted that the next edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will take place in the West Indies and the USA. Of course, the Caribbean is a region rich in cricket culture where fans can enjoy a carnival experience with a fine tradition of producing exciting and flamboyant cricketing stars across all formats of the game,” said Geoff Allardice, CEO of ICC.

“The T20 World Cup is a special event in the calendar and this upcoming edition of the men’s event will expand to 20 teams competing to claim the ultimate prize in T20 international cricket. All host countries play an important role in the provision of world class venues, training facilities and services for players and officials, with the upgrade of any facilities providing a lasting legacy for the game in the West Indies.”

Johnny Grave, CEO of CWI said hosting the World Cup is an opportunity to spur economic growth across the region.

“This will be the most significant sports event held in the West Indies for a generation, helping us to unlock new commercial and economic growth opportunities for the ICC, CWI and our region as a whole,” he said.

“This will be the fifth ICC global event that we have proudly staged, 14 years since we last hosted a Men's World Cup event, and this time it will be bigger than ever. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 will be co-hosted with the USA and is the largest ICC World Cup in history, with 20 teams playing 55 matches.

“This tournament will be a major financial boost to the West Indies and all our host countries as it's the perfect opportunity to invite the world to the biggest cricket carnival ever staged. CWI aims to partner once again with our regional governments to ensure that we collectively capitalize on this fantastic platform to promote the region to the world.”

Grave added that hosting the tournament will be an “opportunity for us to rebuild our cricket, re-engage our traditional cricket supporters and attract a new generation of fans. Cricket has always been part of our culture and we will celebrate this tournament by providing memorable experiences for teams and cricket fans on and off the field that will blend the unique Caribbean matchday experience with the very best in American sporting entertainment.”

The format of the tournament will see the 20 teams participating – with four groups of five teams in the first round. Each team will play one match against the other teams in the group. The top two teams from each group will move into the Super8s stage and these eight teams will be spilt into two groups of four with each team playing one match against the other teams in top two teams from each group of the Super8s will advance to the Semi-Finals. 

This is the second time that the West Indies will have hosted the event, with the first time back in 2010. West Indies have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on two occasions – in 2012 in Sri Lanka and 2016 in India.

The CG United Super50 Cup returns on October 29, with the Caribbean’s 50-over cricket rivals competing for the first time since February 2021.

The West Indies Academy team and Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) will join the six regional franchise teams to contest the 2022 CG United Super50 Cup, to be played in Antigua and Trinidad from October 29 to November 19.

 The 2022 edition of the region’s pre-eminent 50-over white-ball competition also marks the start of the countdown towards the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup and an opportunity for players across the West Indies to push for consideration and selection for the West Indies ODI team. 

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force will defend their title and host Zone A featuring the Windward Islands Volcanoes, Guyana Harpy Eagles and CCC. Zone B will feature hosts the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Barbados Pride, Jamaica Scorpions and the West Indies Academy. The opening match will be on Saturday 29 October and sees Zone B hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes facing the West Indies Academy.

For the first time, the West Indies Academy will be featuring in the CG United Super50 Cup and the West Indies Academy players will have the development opportunity to play List A cricket against the best in the Caribbean. This opportunity is part of the Academy programme’s main objectives of bridging the gap between youth and professional cricket in the region. The West Indies Emerging Players side famously won the Super50 Cup in 2019 and six of those players have since gone on to represent the West Indies.

The opening match will be the first of 10 Zone B games to be played at the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium (SVRS), all of which will be broadcast live on ESPN Caribbean, the exclusive Caribbean broadcast partner of the CG United Super50 Cup, as well as on ESPN+ in the USA. Two further Zone B games will be played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), the home of Cricket West Indies.

All of the Zone A matches in Trinidad will be split equally between the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) and Queen’s Park Oval (QPO), with the first two games played on Monday, October 31. Every Zone A match will be streamed live on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel in the Caribbean and around the world.

Each team will play six group matches, playing each of their Zone competitors twice. The top two teams from each Zone will qualify for the semi-finals, which will be played in Antigua at the SVRS on Wednesday 16 November and Thursday 17 November. The CG United Super50 Cup final will be at the same venue on Saturday, November 19.

“The 2022 CG United Super50 Cup promises to be an action-packed event for our fans to feast on exciting cricket rivalries and for players to push for selection to the West Indies. This year’s tournament feature some of the region’s best and upcoming talent competing to win the CG United Sir Clive Lloyd Trophy,” said CWI CEO Johnny Grave.
"We are looking forward to seeing the West Indies Academy and CCC play against our professional regional teams and expect the competition to provide them with an excellent development opportunity. This will help to broaden the pool of players being exposed to highest levels of competition at the regional level. CWI welcomes and thanks title partners CG United for their continued sponsorship of the CG United Super50 Cup, as their investment has proved invaluable to the development of the game in the region.”

 

Match schedule:

Zone A

Matches at BLCA start at 2pm local time (1pm Jamaica); matches at QPO start at 9am local time (8 am Jamaica)

31 October: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v CCC at BLCA

31 October: Windward Islands Volcanoes v Guyana Harpy Eagles at QPO

2 November: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Guyana Harpy Eagles at BLCA

2 November: CCC v Windward Islands Volcanoes at QPO

5 November: Guyana Harpy Eagles v CCC at BLCA

5 November: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Windward Islands Volcanoes at QPO

7 November: Windward Islands Volcanoes v Guyana Harpy Eagles at BLCA

7 November: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v CCC at QPO

9 November: CCC v Windward Islands Volcanoes at BLCA

9 November: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Guyana Harpy Eagles at QPO

12 November: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Windward Islands Volcanoes at BLCA

12 November: Guyana Harpy Eagles v CCC at QPO

Zone B

Matches at the SVRS start at 2pm local time (1pm Jamaica) unless otherwise stated. CCG matches start 9am local time (8am Jamaica)

29 October: Leeward Islands Hurricanes v West Indies Academy at the SVRS (start 1pm) – Live on ESPN Caribbean

1 November: Leeward Islands Hurricanes v Jamaica Scorpions at the SVRS (start 1pm) – Live on ESPN Caribbean

1 November: West Indies Academy v Barbados Pride at CCG

3 November: Barbados Pride v Jamaica Scorpions at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

5 November: Jamaica Scorpions v West Indies Academy at the SVRS (start 9am) - Live on ESPN Caribbean

6 November: Leeward Islands Hurricanes v Barbados Pride at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

8 November: Barbados Pride v Jamaica Scorpions at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

9 November: Leeward Islands Hurricanes v West Indies Academy at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

11 November: West Indies Academy v Barbados Pride at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

11 November: Leeward Islands Hurricanes v Jamaica Scorpions at CCG

13 November: Leeward Islands Hurricanes v Barbados Pride at the SVRS- Live on ESPN Caribbean

14 November: Jamaica Scorpions v West Indies Academy at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

16 November: Semi-final 1 – Winner of Zone A v Second of Zoner B at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

17 November: Semi-final 2 – Winner of Zone B v Second of Zone A at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

19 November: FINAL at the SVRS - Live on ESPN Caribbean

Cricket West Indies (CWI) and Apex Group have announced an extended partnership which will see Apex Group become the title sponsor of the three-match Apex Test Series between West Indies and England in March 2022.

Apex Group, a global provider of financial, sustainability and environmental services, will feature prominently on the global television broadcast, as well as prime pitch and wicket branding placements, and the Apex logo will also appear on the breast of the West Indies Test kit for the duration of the Apex Test Series. Apex will be granted access to the West Indies team for marketing activation and content and will deliver several sustainability initiatives involving the participation of West Indies players.

CWI’s and Apex Sustainability Partnership commenced in October 2021, ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with the Apex brand appearing on the West Indies’ ICC T20 World Cup shirt. Apex is providing sustainability and environmental advisory services over a three-year period as CWI’s Exclusive Sustainability Partner. By providing CWI with annual carbon footprint assessments, Apex will help lead the way in driving sustainability in cricket across the region by supporting CWI in creating an action plan to reduce and offset climate-altering outputs, including international travel.

The Apex Test Series will be played for the newly-minted Richards-Botham Trophy, named in honour of legends Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham. The Apex Test Series opens appropriately at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua from March 8-12, followed by the second Apex Test at Kensington Oval, Barbados from March 16-20. The third and final contest will be at the idyllic Grenada National Stadium from March 24-28. All three Apex Test matches are part of the ICC World Test Championship with both West Indies and England vying for points to challenge for qualification for the World Test Championship final in 2023.

“We’re delighted to build on our growing relationship with Apex for the upcoming Apex Test Series, which continues to be the most anticipated and highest-profile international sports event in the Caribbean,” said CWI CEO Johnny Grave.

“With the West Indies versus England Test rivalry dating back nearly one hundred years, this deeper partnership with Apex enables CWI to make cricket more sustainable as we move towards a second century of West Indies cricket and build the next generation of cricketers across the Caribbean.”

Meanwhile, Peter Hughes, Founder and CEO of Apex Group said this is an important partnership for his company.

“Following a challenging two years for sport, we are pleased to be a part of the return of International Test Cricket hosted in the West Indies,” he said.

“This is an important partnership for us, as we look forward to further leveraging the combined global platform Apex Group and the West Indies represent, to raise awareness for driving greater environmental sustainability in the sport; for fans, players and future generations.”

The West Indies Women are on their way home following 11 days of quarantine in Oman after the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup qualification tournament in Zimbabwe was cancelled over Covid fears.

In the wake of the discovery of the new Omicron Covid variant, more severe global restrictions against travellers from a number of African countries, including Zimbabwe, forced the ICC to abandon the tournament prematurely and to send competing teams home as quickly as possible.

The West Indies squad was flown to Oman by an ICC private charter, with a short stopover in Namibia, along with eight other international squads. Oman was used as a staging area for the West Indies Women’s squad while they awaited an available route home.

“We are pleased to confirm that the West Indies Women’s squad will soon be making their way back home. We want to thank them for their patience and understanding as we worked with our counterparts at the ICC and Oman Cricket to facilitate their return at the earliest opportunity,” said CWI CEO Johnny Grave.

“We want to express our appreciation to the ICC, Oman Cricket and our operations team, who have worked tirelessly to ensure everyone was comfortable and remained safe.”

Meanwhile, Head Coach Courtney Walsh the players and coaching staff are relieved to be heading home after enduring challenging times in quarantine.

“The team is relieved by the good news that we will be home with our families before Christmas. The sudden cancellation of the Qualifiers and transition period in Oman has been mentally taxing on the entire team, both for the players and management staff,” Walsh said.

“As a management group, we tried to ensure that the players remained in a positive frame of mind. Our Strength and Conditioning Coach created a fitness challenge for all of us to participate in for the duration of the quarantine period, as it was something to take our minds off what was happening. I must say thanks to our Team Manager, the ICC and Oman Cricket, for all their logistical work, in ensuring we’re on our way home as quickly as possible.”

The players and team management are expected to arrive at their various West Indian home territories over the course of the next few days.

Following the termination of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers, ICC announced that the West Indies Women along with Pakistan Women and Bangladesh Women secured the final three qualification spots for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup by virtue of the existing ICC Women’s ODI rankings. The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup will be played in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3, 2022.

The West Indies will host Ireland for three CG Insurance One-Day Internationals (ODI) and a one-off T20 International (T20I) at Sabina Park, Jamaica from Saturday, January 8 to Sunday, January 16, Cricket West Indies confirmed today.

Cricket West Indies is hoping to give Chris Gayle a proper send-off at Sabina Park when it hosts Ireland for a white-ball series in January next year.

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