Deandra Dottin has ended her international retirement and announced her availability for West Indies selection almost two years after quitting the international scene quite dramatically. Having quit during her leadership of Barbados at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Dottin said she felt proud and passionate about representing West Indies again, and called it a significant boost for the team ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October 2024.
Deandra Dottin wants to represent West Indies again
The 33-year-old has decided to come out of retirement and play international cricket once again after some introspection and also after she had talks with officials from Cricket West Indies, CWI. She wrote a letter – attached to the board’s statement – saying that she wants to play for the team in every format. Experience, maturity, and skills will be what she brings to the West Indies women’s team, said Dottin. She said in a letter to Cricket West Indies (CWI) that was part of the board’s statement that:
“Representing West Indies in international cricket has always been a matter of great pride and passion for me. After a period of reflection and thoughtful dialogue with various parties within Cricket West Indies, including Cricket West Indies President, Dr. Kishore Shallow, I am pleased to inform you that I am eager to return to the game that I love, and contribute my utmost to the West Indies women’s team across all formats, with immediate effect.
“I am confident that my experience, maturity, and skills will add value to the team as it has done in the past, and I am prepared to furnish my best efforts in every match and training session to ensure the team’s winning trajectory in international cricket. Moreover, I am enthusiastic about mentoring younger players and contributing to the overall development of women’s cricket in our region.”
Committed to giving her best in each and every game and practice session, Dottin also showed great interest in mentoring young players and contributing to the overall development of women’s cricket in the Caribbean. Her decision was welcomed by CWI, as its director of cricket, Miles Bascombe, says she has immense ability and experience. The statement reads:
“Deandra Dottin is a player of immense ability and experience. We are pleased with her decision to return to international cricket and be eligible for selection. There is no doubt that she could add significant value to the West Indies Women’s teams.”
Dottin had announced her retirement in August 2022, citing a “non-conducive” environment within the West Indies set-up. At the time, she had played 143 ODIs, scoring 3727 runs, and 127 T20Is, amassing 2697 runs. She also holds the record for the fastest hundred in women’s T20Is with a 38-ball hundred and has 72 ODI wickets and 62 T20I wickets to her name.
Currently on the T20 league circuit, Dottin has not played competitively since September 2023; she is due to captain Trinbago Knight Riders in the women’s Caribbean Premier League and attend a West Indies camp in August.
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