KINGSTON, Jamaica – Sunday’s first One-Day International between West Indies Women and New Zealand Women will have special significance for all-rounder Shanel Daley, as the left-hander plays her 50th ODI for West Indies and her first at her home ground Sabina Park.
Daley’s impressive career has gone full circle – she made her ODI debut against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in November 2008 and played her last ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla earlier this year.
Now she prepares for her 50th match and is “super excited” that the game will be played with friends and family watching.
“This is special for me…really, really special. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. I’m happy to play 50 matches for West Indies and it will be my first match at Sabina Park in a West Indies shirt. I will have some of my friends and some of my family there to watch, so I will have a lot of good support in the crowd,” Daley told WICB Media on Saturday.
“A lot of them have seen me play on TV and for Jamaica but they have never seen me perform here at home at the international level. I have received a lot of encouragement from supporters, team-mates and family in the early stages (of development) so it will be a proud moment when I walk out onto Sabina Park in West Indies colours.”
In 49 ODIs, the left-arm spinner has emerged as one of the leading slow bowlers in the world, taking 59 wickets at 20.55 apiece, with an excellent economy rate of 3.30 runs per over.
The 24-year-old has played 50 T20 Internationals and is the Number 1 ranked bowler in the world in that format – with 58 wickets at 13 runs apiece. She is the third West Indian women to take over 100 international wickets – behind off-spinners Anisa Mohammed (157) and Stafanie Taylor (128).
West Indies have a proud record at home, having not lost a series on home soil in the last four years. After detailed preparation during their 12-day camp, Daley said they are ready to challenge New Zealand on home turf.
“We have prepared really well and the coaches and support staff have been very good in making sure that everyone is fit and ready. We will look to maintain our dominance at home, where we have been strong for several years now,” she said.
First ball is 9 am (10 am Eastern Caribbean Time).
