By Avenash Ramzan
Cricket West Indies Ambassador for the Women’s World T20, Dr. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, believes the standard of women’s cricket globally is amazing.
Speaking to media operatives on Thursday, Chanderpaul, the prolific Guyana and West Indies left-hander, heaped praises on women’s cricketers for their outstanding exploits. Some of them play the game like men, Chanderpaul reasoned.
“They’re very good. They’re very strong. They play cricket, I would say, like men,” the 44-year-old former Guyana and West Indies captain articulated.
“They go out there and hit the ball in the stands, even though the boundaries are in. I don’t think they need to bring the boundaries in for some of those girls; they’re strong enough to hit it in the stands.”
Chanderpaul added, “They play the cricket really, really hard…they field, dive, throw themselves down like proper cricket, professional cricket. The standard of cricket they’ve been playing is amazing.”
The West Indies most capped Test player said the Women’s World T20 in the Caribbean gives natives of the region an opportunity to witness firsthand the professionalism and high standard of the Women’s game.
“The standard that I’ve seen is something the people of the Caribbean need to see. I don’t think they’ve seen much of it, and this is the perfect opportunity to come out and see what it’s all about. It’s really, really great,” Chanderpaul reckoned.
CARIBBEAN CONDITIONS
Commenting on the challenges the teams face in terms of dealing with conditions in the Caribbean, Chanderpaul, with a 21-year international career, stated: “Teams from India and the sub-continent, they would find it a little easier to bat on these wickets, because it’s similar to that condition. Teams from Australia, South Africa, maybe England (and) maybe New Zealand they have to get acclimatised.”
He continued, “They have to get accustomed to the wicket; they have to know what the pace is like…it’s not going to be quick, it’s not going to bounce as much. It’s going to slow, it’s going to be low, it might be spinning…these are things you have to take into consideration.”
The tournament bowls off on Friday (November 9) with New Zealand and India the first two teams to take the field at 11:00h, after which the official opening ceremony, in the form of a concert in the Grass Mound, will take place from 14:30h.
Three-time champions Australia will open their campaign against Pakistan at 16:00h, followed by the defending champions West Indies playing Bangladesh at 20:00h.
Preliminary matches will also be played at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia, followed by the semi-finals and final at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua.
The tournament will conclude on November 24.
