WI women for India, Pakistan

CASTRIES: The West Indies women’s cricket team will tour India and Pakistan early next year as part of their preparation for the 2005 Women’s World Cup in South Africa. The West Indies Women’s Cricket Federation (WIWCF) confirmed plans — during an executive meeting last weekend — to engage in a six-week tour of India and Pakistan in February and March. The West Indies impressively advanced from the International Women’s Cricket Council (IWCC) World Cup qualifiers in Holland in July. They rebounded from a first match defeat against Ireland, to win all their remaining matches and clinch second spot — behind the Irish — and an automatic spot to the World Cup.
   
The West Indies girls will play five One-Day Internationals and one Test match in both countries, Pakistan and India. Pakistan failed to qualify at the recent IWCC tournament, while India, seeded number three in the world, already has a spot in the 2005 World Cup. “The West Indies team will begin preparations for the tour in November. This will comprise a rigid training programme for players in their territories, culminating into a camp in February 2004, before travelling to India,” the WIWCF said in a release. In the meantime, the executive say they intend to increase their campaign for sponsorship. “We have proven that we have a winning team, an extremely desirable product and we feel confident that corporate sponsors would wish to gain valuable marketing mileage and would come on board with the WIWCF,” Carol Whilby, the WIWCF president said.