TKR retain young core for Women's CPL, add South African power player Lizelle Lee

Trinbago Knight Riders's (TKR) women's team will be out for redemption when the 2025 Massy Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) bowls off from September 6-17 at the Providence Stadium, Guyana.

Losing finalists to Barbados Royals at last year's final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, TKR retained their young core from the 2024 season and added two new overseas players when the player draft was completed on June 23. Veteran Windies allrounder Deandra Dottin returns to the TKR setup and will be expected to lead the squad which captured the inaugural WCPL title in 2022 with a tight ten-run victory over the Royals at Warner Park, St Kitts.

Exciting young Windies players Jahzara Claxton, Zaida James, Jannillea Glasgow and 17-year-old Trinidad and Tobago off-spinner Samara Ramnath are in TKR's 15-member squad, with Indian pacer Shikha Pandey and Aussie allrounder Jess Jonassen returning to the fold. South African power-hitter Lizelle Lee, 33, who has over 180 international matches to her name, is expected to add firepower to the TKR top-order in her debut season. Though she last represented South Africa in 2022, Lee has played over 90 matches in the Women's Big Bash League, hitting five centuries in the process. In the 2024/25 Big Bash tourney, Lee hit two centuries including a brutal 150 not out off 75 balls for Hobart Hurricanes against Perth Scorchers back in November.

The TKR team also sees the addition of leg-spinner Salonee Dangore, who was a net bowler for Delhi Capitals in the 2025 Women's Premier League season.

TKR will however be without the services of veteran off-spinner Anisa Mohammed.

Reigning champs Royals will once again be led by West Indies captain and superstar Hayley Matthews, who led the team to successive titles in 2023 and 2024. The Royals have retained key players such as leg-spinner Afy Fletcher, allrounder Chinelle Henry, hard-hitter Qiana Joseph and seamer Aaliyah Alleyne. Sri Lankan star Chamari Athapaththu also returns to the Royals setup, with TT left-arm spinner Steffie Soogrim also being drafted by the Barbados franchise.

The three-team tourney will be rounded off by hosts Guyana Amazon Warriors, who will have players such as Shemaine Campbelle, former West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor and TT off-spinner Karishma Ramharack within their ranks. The Warriors have drafted seven Guyanese players, with South African seamer Shabnim Ismail returning for a third season.

Aggressive Australian batter Laura Harris joins the Warriors from the Royals, with countrywoman Madeline Penna also going to the Guyanese team.

Each team will play four group-stage matches, with the top two sides advancing to the final. The Warriors and TKR will bowl off the WCPL season on September 6.

Teams for 2025 WCPL

Barbados Royals: Aaliyah Alleyne, Chamari Athapaththu, Shamilia Connell, NaiJanni Cumberbatch, Afy Fletcher, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Trishan Holder, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Redmayne, Steffie Soogrim, Courtney Webb.

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Shemaine Campbelle, Britney Cooper, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Realeanna Grimmond, Laura Harris, Shabnim Ismail, Nyia Latchman, Plaffiana Millington, Ashmini Munisar, Chedean Nation, Madeline Penna, Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz, Stafanie Taylor, Lauren Winfield-Hill.

TKR: Abigail Bryce, Jahzara Claxton, Nerissa Crafton, Salonee Dangore, Deandra Dottin, Keila Elliott, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Zaida James, Jess Jonassen, Lizelle Lee, Shikha Pandey, Samara Ramnath, Rashada Williams.