Trinidad and Tobago Claims Victory in CWI Rising Stars Under-17 50-Over Championship

The 2025 CWI Rising Stars Under-17 50-over Championship concluded with a dramatic final round, culminating in Trinidad and Tobago’s thrilling 23-run victory over tournament favorites, Barbados. Entering the final round in third place, Trinidad and Tobago faced a must-win scenario to surpass both the Leeward Islands and Barbados in the standings. Their gamble paid off handsomely as they delivered a clutch performance to secure the championship title.

Trinidad and Tobago’s journey to victory began with a challenging batting display, recovering from a precarious 38-3 thanks to a pivotal knock from Aadi Ramsaran. His 65 runs, punctuated by five impressive sixes, anchored crucial partnerships with Darrius Batoosingh and Christiano Ramanan, steering the team to a respectable total of 194 all out. Barbados’ Renaldo Bourne led the bowling attack, taking 3 wickets for 44 runs. This seemingly modest total proved more than enough, setting the stage for a thrilling contest.

Barbados’ chase was quickly derailed by a disciplined Trinidad and Tobago bowling attack. The defending champions stumbled to 49-4 early on, with Daron Dhanraj (3-12) and Ra’ed Ali Khan (3-15) proving particularly menacing. This left Barbados reeling at 100-7, facing a seemingly insurmountable task. A valiant late-order resurgence led by Raphael Lovell (40) brought Barbados tantalizingly close to their target, but ultimately fell short at 171 all out. Trinidad and Tobago’s bowlers held their nerve, securing a memorable victory and denying Barbados the double after their 2-Day title win the previous month.

The final round also witnessed the Leeward Islands’ championship aspirations dashed by inclement weather. Their crucial match against the Windward Islands at the National Cricket Centre was abandoned due to rain, eliminating them from contention. Meanwhile, Jamaica finally registered their first victory of the 50-over tournament, defeating Guyana by six wickets using the Duckworth-Lewis method in another rain-affected encounter. Odane Binns led the chase with an unbeaten 57, guiding Jamaica to their revised target of 122.

The tournament unfolded across five rounds, with a mix of thrilling encounters and rain-interrupted matches. The opening round saw the Windward Islands secure a narrow DLS victory over Jamaica, while rain forced the abandonment of matches between Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, and Barbados and the Leeward Islands. The second round witnessed a standout performance from Leeward Islands captain Tanez Francis, who scored a magnificent century (110 off 94 balls) in a thrilling one-wicket DLS victory over Jamaica. Barbados comfortably defeated Guyana, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Daron Dhanraj produced a stunning bowling display (7-22) to dismantle the Windward Islands batting lineup.

The third round saw Barbados dominate the Windward Islands with a resounding 107-run victory. The Leeward Islands continued their strong showing with a DLS win against Guyana, propelled by a solid opening partnership between Francis and Amoree Jones. Trinidad and Tobago further cemented their championship credentials with a convincing 91-run win over Jamaica. The entire fourth round fell victim to relentless rain, with all three matches abandoned without a ball bowled. This set up the decisive fifth and final round, where Trinidad and Tobago ultimately claimed the championship title.

The tournament concluded with Trinidad and Tobago atop the standings with 19 points from three victories, narrowly edging out second-placed Barbados with 18 points. The Leeward Islands secured third place with 16 points, followed by the Windward Islands (10.8 points) and Jamaica (9.4 points). Guyana finished at the bottom of the table with six points, failing to secure a win in the tournament. Trinidad and Tobago’s Daron Dhanraj was recognized for his outstanding contributions, earning both the Tournament MVP and Most Wickets awards with 13 wickets. Tanez Francis of the Leeward Islands topped the run charts with 209 runs, while Damarco Wiggins (Barbados) and Gadson Bowens (Barbados) led in catches and dismissals, respectively.