Bascombe: I expect WI Championship to be competitive

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

Despite this year’s West Indies Championship being significantly shortened, Director of Cricket at Cricket West Indies (CWI), Miles Bascombe, is still expecting a competitive tournament.

CWI confirmed yesterday that the four-day competition, which bowls off next month, will feature just three rounds of matches, with the majority of them being played in Antigua.

The tournament has been revamped from its usual round-robin format as the financially strapped CWI looks for way to reduce costs.

However, Bascombe said he did not expect the change to affect the quality of play in the competition, while still delivering on performance objectives.

“Despite the reduction in matches, we anticipate keen contests. The change in dates has allowed for an extended preparation period, with most franchises holding multiple trial matches, setting up intense internal competition for places.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles will be looking to retain their title in the West Indies Championship for the fourth straight year.

“The West Indies Championship will form a key part of talent identification and preparation for the home series, and the bilateral series format will add an interesting dimension, closer to mirroring the Test cricket format,” Bascombe said.

In revealing details of the championship, CWI said the six regional franchises will be seeded one to six based on their final standings at the end of the 2025 edition of the tournament.

The winners of each bilateral contest will be ranked first through third based on total points accumulated, with the top-ranked team advancing directly to the final.

During the playoff round, the first placed team will take on the West Indies Academy to maintain match readiness and ensure fairness of preparation ahead of the final, while the second and third-ranked teams will meet in a playoff match to determine the second finalist.

The revised format forms part of CWI’s broader strategy to strengthen player pathways, improve performance outcomes, and ensure the sustainable management of resources across regional cricket.

The review involved extensive consultations with the Cricket Strategy and Officiating Committee, Cricket Department, Finance Department, and Executive Leadership Team.

Guided by a purpose-first approach, the review assessed what each tournament must achieve – whether talent identification, selection finalisation, tour preparation, or pathway progression – and redesigned formats to preserve relevance and competitive impact while managing operational costs.

CWI said it had intentionally scheduled this year’s tournament closer to the start of the international home series, which commences against Sri Lanka in June, allowing players to achieve optimal match readiness just ahead of a packed summer.

It maintained that while the revised structure represents a shift from previous format, participating territories had embraced the change.

WEST INDIES CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES

• Bilateral Round: (Match 1 - April 12-15; Match 2 - April 19-22; Match 3 - April 26-29)

• Windward Volcanoes vs Guyana Harpy Eagles in Antigua

• Jamaica Scorpions vs Barbados Pride in Jamaica

• Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in Antigua

• Playoff Round: (May 10-13)

• 2nd Place vs 3rd Place in Antigua

• 1st Place vs West Indies Academy in Antigua

• Grand Final: (May 17-20)

• 1st Place vs Playoff Winners in Antigua