BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Shai Hope and Stafanie Talyor are the WINDIES male and female cricketers of the year respectively for 2017. The emerging cricketer of the year went to Guyana’s Keemo Paul.

Shai Hope

Shai Hope was named WINDIES cricketer of the year. Photo credit: CWI Media/ Kerrie Eversley of Brooks LaTouche Photography

Cricket West Indies’ CEO, Johnny Grave in his summary remarks acknowledged Digicel for their support to West Indies cricket for 13 years; and welcomed Sandals Resorts as the new sponsor on board.

CWI’s President, Dave Cameron noted the increase in the number of players which has moved from 25 to 177 in five years and adding that “we have the requisite number of players to compete. What we now need is to continue to ensure our programs build capacity for all our technical and administrative officials to continue to consistently produce world class players.”

CEO and President of WIPA, Wavell Hinds acknowledged the commitment of the players to broaden their skills set off the field. Hinds pledged his organization’s commitment to continue with its programs to widen the scope and reach of all its members, while working closely with CWI to facilitate growth for players on the field of play.

In her keynote address, Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, Hon Marsha Caddle, said that “West Indies Cricket is the blue print to advance regionalism.” In congratulating the work of CWI, the Minister wants the region to work closer together with cricket to create greater linkages with tourism and the creative arts sectors. She also called for “sport to be more integrated into education, as the focus and discipline of sport, can help young people to make better decisions about their lives, while acting as a signal to young people to use their talent more effectively.”

Minister Caddle declared her government’s and country’s intention to support West Indies Cricket and sees this as an opportunity for a “brand new relationship and partnership to move the cricket and by extension, sport, forward.”

The full list of winners are:
WINDIES Cricketer of the Year – Shai Hope
WINDIES Test Cricketer of the Year – Shai Hope
WINDIES ODI Cricketer of the Year – Shai Hope
WINDIES T20 Cricketer of the Year – Evin Lewis
WINDIES Emerging Cricketer of the Year – Keemo Paul
WINDIES Women’s T20 Cricketer of the Year – Deandra Dottin
WINDIES Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year – Stafanie Taylor
WINDIES Women Cricketer of the Year – Stafanie Taylor
CWI Lifetime Achievement Award – Carol Whilby-Maxwell
WIPA Lifetime Achievement Award – Dawnley Joseph
First Class Team of the Year – Guyana
Regional Under-19 Team of the Year – Guyana
First Class Four Day Cricketer of the Year – Devon Smith
First Class 50 Over Cricketer of the Year – Roston Chase
Caribbean T20 Cricketer of the Year – Chadwick Walton
WINDIES Under 19 Cricketer of the Year – Kirstan Kallicharan
Atlantic/WIPA in the Community Awardee – Rodney Sieunarine
CWI/WIPA Outstanding Foundation Awardee – The Marlon Samuels Foundation
WINDIES Umpire of the Year – Joel Wilson

The 6th joint awards (CWI and WIPA) was held at the Hilton Barbados last evening (June 20).