Deandra Dottin will return from international retirement to compete for West Indies selection again, nearly two years after suddenly deciding to retire while leading Barbados at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“Representing the West Indies in international cricket has always been a great pride and passion for me,” Dottin, 33, said in a letter to Cricket West Indies (CWI), which was part of the board’s statement. “After much consideration and thoughtful discussions with various stakeholders within Cricket West Indies, including Cricket West Indies Chairman Dr Kishore Shallow, I wish to let you know that I am eager to return to the game I love and contribute fully to the West Indies women’s team in all formats, with immediate effect.”
“I am confident that my experience, maturity and skills will add value to the team as they have in the past. I will give my best in every match and training session to help put the team on a winning trajectory in international cricket. Additionally, I am also keen to mentor younger players and contribute to the overall development of women’s cricket in the region.”
CWI welcomed Dottin’s decision. “Deandra is a player of great ability and experience,” said CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe. “We are pleased that she has decided to return to international cricket and become eligible for selection. We have no doubt she will add great value to the West Indies women’s team.”
At the time Dottin announced her retirement in August 2022, citing an “unfavourable” environment within the West Indies set-up, she had played 143 ODIs (3727 runs at an average of 30.54) and 127 T20Is (2697 runs). She holds the record for the fastest century in a women’s T20I – 100 runs in 38 balls against South Africa in the 2010 T20 World Cup. She has also taken 72 wickets in ODIs and 62 in T20Is. “It has a lot to do with the board, how they handle things, how they treat the players and how they actually talk to the players,” Dottin said of her decision to retire in August 2022. “Different people look at things differently and I think West Indies cricket needs a lot of work and it needs to be done as soon as possible because if we don’t it’s not going to be good for West Indies cricket or Caribbean cricket.”
Dottin has flourished on the T20 league circuit since retiring but is not set to play an official match after September 2023. She will captain the Trinivago Knight Riders team in the upcoming Women’s Caribbean Premier League ahead of their West Indies training camp in August ahead of the T20 World Cup.
