1 week Ago
The January 11 announcement at the Hyatt Regency, naming Karishma Ramharack as the First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year for 2024 was indeed a proud moment for the West Indies off-spinner. The accolade adds value to Ramharack’s already impressive CV. But being cream of the crop at the country’s top sports awards show is not only a personal achievement, but a major victory for women’s cricket here in Trinidad and Tobago.
Elizabeth Dennis was the Sports Foundation’s 1982 Sportswoman of the Year. Women’s cricket had to wait a very long time for another lien on that trophy – 42 years! Yes, Ramharack’s 2024 success was the first for that sport since the Dennis triumph. Born in 1995, she was not even a thought when the Tobago allrounder stole the spotlight.
Perhaps buoyed by her 2024 Sportswoman of the Year award, Ramharack has taken an early lead in the 2025 race. On Tuesday, just one day after her 30th birthday, she captured career-best One Day International figures of 4 for 33, albeit in a losing effort, with West Indies Women going under by 60 runs to Bangladesh at Warner Park in St Kitts. The Bangladesh victory was that country’s first-ever success against West Indies Women in any format of the game, making Ramharack’s birthday celebration a bitter-sweet experience.
That’s however just how it is in the world of sports. Two days earlier, Ramharack went wicketless against the same opponents, but was on the winning team, her captain Hayley Matthews scoring a superb unbeaten century to steer the hosts to a commanding nine-wicket win. West Indies and Bangladesh were back at Warner Park yesterday for the deciding match.
While the visitors were targeting victory to secure direct qualification for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, in India, Matthews, Ramharack and company knew that even the biggest of wins would not have helped their World Cup cause. West Indies Women had already been subjected to the World Cup qualifiers—a competition among six teams for just two remaining spots. This convoluted route to the World Cup is not ideal.
But if the Matthews-led team can secure a place in the global tournament, the skipper, Deandra Dottin and Ramharack are among the players with the pedigree to make life difficult for even the best in the world. A group of young West Indies players are currently in Malaysia, bidding to make an impression at the Women’s U19 T20 World Cup. The West Indies Under-19 Women got off to a slow start, suffering heavy defeats at the hands of India and Sri Lanka.
There was a change in fortunes on Thursday, captain Samara Ramnath bowling West Indies to a 53-run victory over Malaysia and a spot in the Super Six round. Like Ramharack, Ramnath is an off-spinner. And like Matthews, the 17-year-old Trinidadian is an allrounder, opening the batting for her team.
Ramnath is undoubtedly one for the future. Don’t be surprised if she follows in the footsteps of Matthews and Ramharack, becoming a West Indies Women’s skipper and a First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year..
