Trinidad and Tobago Qualify for Women’s Super50 Final

The Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Red Force women’s cricket team secured their place in the final of the Women’s Super50 tournament against Barbados after their match against Guyana ended in a no-result due to rain. The match, held at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts, was effectively a semi-final clash, with the winner guaranteed a spot in the final. T&T entered the game with a superior points tally, meaning the washout worked in their favor, propelling them directly to the championship match scheduled for March 7th against Barbados.

T&T’s spin-heavy bowling attack, supplemented by the pace of Amelia Khan, proved too formidable for the Guyanese batters. Anisa Mohammed’s spectacular one-handed diving catch at first slip, dismissing Mandy Mangru for a duck, set the stage for a dominant T&T performance. Khan quickly added another wicket to her tally, while left-arm spinner Steffie Soogrim and captain Karishma Ramharack chipped in with two wickets each, reducing Guyana to a precarious 28/6 in just 16 overs. Despite a fighting 42-run partnership between Shabika Gajnabi and Ashmini Munisar, Guyana struggled to recover. Teenage bowler Samara Ramnath broke the partnership, eventually leading to Guyana being all out for a meager 108 runs. Gajnabi top-scored with a resilient 51 off 96 balls. Ramharack (3/14) and Khan (3/18) were the pick of the bowlers for T&T.

T&T’s innings was truncated by the untimely rain interruption. Losing openers Shunelle Sawh and Djenaba Joseph early, they reached 16/2 after eight overs before the downpour brought an end to the match. Seasoned batters Britney Cooper and Anisa Mohammed were at the crease when play was abandoned. The other final-round match between the Windward Islands and Jamaica at Conaree Sports Club also succumbed to the inclement weather, ending in a no-result.

Barbados, on the other hand, powered their way into the final with a resounding nine-wicket victory over the Leeward Islands at the St Paul’s Sports Complex. The Leeward Islands struggled against the Barbadian bowling attack, managing only 85 runs in their allotted overs. Jahzara Claxton offered some resistance with an unbeaten 23, while Reniece Boyce contributed 15. Allison Gordon was the standout bowler for Barbados, claiming 4 wickets for 12 runs. Keila Elliot and Shamilia Connell provided valuable support, taking two wickets each. Barbados chased down the target effortlessly, with Kycia Knight smashing an unbeaten 51 and Trishan Holder contributing a brisk 22 not out, reaching the target in just 17.5 overs.

The final of the Women’s Super50 tournament is set to be a thrilling encounter between T&T and Barbados, a rematch of their group stage encounter which T&T won by 2 wickets. T&T will be relying on their potent spin attack and the experience of players like Anisa Mohammed and Britney Cooper, while Barbados will be looking to their strong batting line-up, spearheaded by Kycia Knight, to guide them to victory. The final will take place on March 7th at Warner Park, with the first ball scheduled for 10 am.

The third-place playoff between Guyana and Windward Islands will be played simultaneously at the Conaree Sports Club, while Jamaica and Leeward Islands will battle for fifth place at the St Paul’s Sports Complex. These matches will offer a chance for the teams to salvage some pride and end their tournament on a positive note. The final day promises to be an exciting culmination to the Women’s Super50 tournament.

The tournament showcased some exciting cricketing talent and provided a platform for female cricketers in the Caribbean to display their skills. The dominance of spin bowling was a significant feature of the tournament, with bowlers like Karishma Ramharack, Amelia Khan, Allison Gordon, and Steffie Soogrim showcasing their abilities to deceive batters and take wickets. The inclement weather unfortunately played a significant role in the latter stages, disrupting the final round of matches. Nonetheless, the tournament successfully concluded with T&T and Barbados earning the right to contest the final.