WEST INDIES CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 SETS STAGE FOR EPIC BATTLES
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) proudly announces the commencement of the West Indies Championship 2025.
Beginning 29 January, this prestigious tournament will showcase the region's finest cricket talent across seven action-packed rounds, culminating in what promises to be an unforgettable finale in April.
The coveted Headley Weekes Trophy stands as a testament to Caribbean cricket excellence, accompanied by an impressive prize purse.
The champions will claim US$250 000, while the runners-up will secure US$100 000, adding extra motivation to an already fierce competition.
Beyond the financial reward lies something far more valuable – the honor and bragging rights of being crowned the region’s best First-Class team.
The Guyana Harpy Eagles soar into the tournament carrying the weight of expectation and the pride of achievement of being defending champions. Their remarkable achievement of securing seven championships in nine years speaks volumes of their dominance. Last year's nail-biting finish – where three other teams remained in contention until the final round – proves that excellence breeds competition.
The Eagles' opening defense against Barbados Pride at Providence Stadium in the opening round sets the stage for what could be their most challenging title defense yet.
This year's Championship features an intriguing mix of traditional powerhouses and emerging forces.
The ever-dangerous Trinidad & Tobago Red Force will be led by Bryan Charles, a rejuvenated Barbados Pride will be under Raymon Reifer's experienced leadership, the dynamic Jamaica Scorpions have John Campbell at the helm while the explosive Windward Islands Volcanoes will be captained by versatile veteran Sunil Ambris.
For the Leeward Islands Hurricanes outfit, Rahkeem Cornwall will lead the charge as the West Indies Academy nurtures some of tomorrow's stars along with the Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC).
The tournament's first round promises riveting cricket across four islands.
Guyana’s Providence Stadium hosts a heavyweight clash between Guyana Harpy Eagles and Barbados Pride while Trinidad's Brian Lara Cricket Academy welcomes CCC to face the Red Force in a day/night pink ball match.
Antigua's Coolidge Cricket Ground sees the future stars of West Indies Academy challenge Leeward Islands Hurricanes and the picturesque Arnos Vale Stadium in St. Vincent sets the stage for Windward Islands Volcanoes versus Jamaica Scorpions.
Ahead of their opening game against West Indies Academy, Leeward Islands Hurricanes Head Coach Steve Liburd expressed high confidence in his players.
“Our practice has been good. The guys are in high spirits, and we finished off with a good session this afternoon. Obviously, there are few international guys missing, so we are going to have some new faces going into this year’s West Indies Championship. It's a mix of guys who are seasoned campaigners and some young guys who will be looking to showcase their talent.”
“One of the things we stressed is batting for long periods and being patient. It's a game where strategy comes more into effect. We may be on top of the game for one session and the next session, it can go the other way. As Leeward Islanders, we gel well as a group. The guys help each other a lot so spirits are really high, and we are looking forward to the games.”
West Indies Academy Head Coach Ramesh Subasinghe stressed the importance of team and individual growth for his squad.
“I can see a lot of growth in the players’ self-leadership and that's something I'm happy about within the environment. Skills wise, they've been working hard. We've had a lot of training in terms of the camps with the specialist spin bowling coach and the batting coach as well, so overall, preparation has been good.”
“For us, it's about the process. We go with an open mind into tournaments because it's about continuous improvement. We want to see how players express the best versions of themselves with all the work they've done. Our strength and conditioning coach, batting coach and mental skills trainer have been doing some unbelievable work and the players have been working exceptionally hard.”
Cricket enthusiasts worldwide can catch every moment of the action through live streaming on the Windies YouTube Page. https://www.youtube.com/@WindiesCricket/
For those seeking detailed analysis, ball-by-ball scoring and comprehensive match updates will be available at the www.windiescricket.com Match Centre, ensuring fans don't miss a single moment of the drama.
With seven rounds of intense cricket ahead, the West Indies Championship 2025 promises to be more than just a tournament, but a celebration of Caribbean cricket culture, talent and passion.
From the opening ball in January to the final wicket in April, every match writes another chapter in the rich history of West Indies cricket.
See Full Squads Below:
Guyana Harpy Eagles
Kemol Savory (captain), Antony Adams, Ronaldo Alimohamed, Kevlon Anderson, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Richie Looknauth, Thaddeus Lovell, Matthew Nandu, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymond Perez, Junior Sinclair, Nial Smith, Isai Thorne.
Barbados Pride
Raymon Reifer (captain), Leniko Boucher, Jonathan Drakes, Matthew Forde, Chaim Holder, Chemar Holder, Matthew Jones, Javed Leacock, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie, Demetrius Richards, Ramon Simmonds, Kevin Wickham
Combined Campuses & Colleges
Johann Jeremiah (captain), Andre Bailey, Kyle Corbin, Damel Evelyn, Romario Greaves, Sadique Henry, Akeem Jordan, Avinash Mahabirsingh, Abhijai Mansingh, Kalvin Marcus, Shaqkere Parris, Demario Richards, Ojay Shields
Jamaica Scorpions
John Campbell (captain), Brad Barnes, Daniel Beckford, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brown, Gordon Bryan, Javelle Glenn, Odain McCatty, Kirk McKenzie, Marquino Mindley, Tamarie Redwood, Jeavor Royal, Odean Smith
Leeward Islands Hurricanes
Rahkeem Cornwall (captain), Jewel Andrew, Colin Archibald, Daniel Doram, Shelton Forbes, Karima Gore, Joshua Grant, Jahmar Hamilton, Kadeem Henry, Chamiqueko Landerfort, Jeremiah Louis, Cameron Pennyfeather, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Trinidad and Tobago Red Force
Bryan Charles (captain), Yannic Cariah, Cephas Cooper, Antonio Gomez, Jyd Goolie, Joshua James, Justin Mannick, Vikash Mohan, Jason Mohammed, Khary Pierre, Aaidan Racha, Andrew Rambaran, Tion Webster
West Indies Academy
Teddy Bishop (captain), Ackeem Auguste, Joshua Bishop, Jediah Blades, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Mavendra Dindyal, Nathan Edward, Justin Jaggessar, Johann Layne, Zishan Motara, Michael Palmer.
Reserves: Kelvin Pitman, Raneico Smith
Windward Islands Volcanoes
Sunil Ambris (captain), Jervin Benjamin, Keron Cottoy, Darel Cyrus, Kenneth Dember, Shadrack Descarte, Johnel Eugene, Kharmal Hamilton, Ryan John, Daurius Martin, Stephan Pascal, Jeremy Solozano, Gilon Tyson
Full Updated Match Schedule:
1st Round Fixtures 29 January – 1 February
Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Barbados Pride – Providence, Guyana
(P) Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs CCC – BLCA, Trinidad
West Indies Academy vs Leeward Island Hurricanes - CCG, Antigua
Windward Islands Volcanoes vs Jamaica Scorpions - Arnos Vale St. Vincent
2nd Round Fixtures 5 – 8 February
Guyana Harpy Eagles vs CCC - Providence, Guyana
(P) Barbados Pride vs West Indies Academy - Kensington Oval, Barbados
(P) Windward Islands Volcanoes vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Arnos Vale, St. Vincent
Leeward Island Hurricanes vs Jamaica Scorpions – SVRS, Antigua
3rd Round Fixtures 12 – 15 February
(P) Guyana Harpy Eagles vs West Indies Academy - Providence, Guyana
Windward Islands Volcanoes vs CCC - Windsor Park, Dominica
Barbados Pride vs Jamaica Scorpions - Kensington Oval Barbados
Leeward Island Hurricanes vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Warner Park, St. Kitts
4th Round Fixtures 5 – 8 March
Jamaica Scorpions vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Sabina Park, Jamaica
Windward Islands Volcanoes vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes - Daren Sammy Stadium, St. Lucia
West Indies Academy vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - CCG, Antigua
Barbados Pride vs CCC - Kensington Oval, Barbados
5th Round Fixtures 12 – 15 March
Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Windward Islands Volcanoes – Providence, Guyana
West Indies Academy vs Jamaica Scorpions – CCG, Antigua
Leeward Island Hurricanes vs CCC – SVRS, Antigua
Barbados Pride vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Kensington Oval, Barbados
6th Round Fixtures 2 – 5 April
Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - Warner Park, St. Kitts
(P) Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Jamaica Scorpions - BLCA, Trinidad
Windward Islands Volcanoes vs Barbados Pride - Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
CCC vs West Indies Academy - UWISPEC, Trinidad
7th Round Fixtures 9 – 12 April
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Guyana Harpy Eagles - QPO, Trinidad
(P) Leeward Island Hurricanes vs Barbados Pride - Warner Park, St. Kitts
CCC vs Jamaica Scorpions - UWISPEC, Trinidad
West Indies Academy vs Windward Islands Volcanoes - CCG, Antigua