By Prior Beharry
VETERAN Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) cricketer Anisa Mohammed anticipates a strong performance from the TKR squad in this year’s Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL).
After the Trinbago-based team fell short of reaching the final in 2023, Mohammed is hopeful that the team will rebound in the upcoming tournament, scheduled for August 21 to 29 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Last year, TKR finished at the bottom of the standings. However, the team has been significantly strengthened by the inclusion of seven-time world champion, Australian Meg Lanning, and Indian all-rounder Jemimah Rodrigues. Mohammed, a former West Indies player, is optimistic that this enhanced lineup will lead to a better outcome.
She was speaking to the media at the launch of the WCPL 2024 at Massy head office on Wrightson Road in Port of Spain on Wednesday.
“Obviously, we are looking to win,” Mohammed declared confidently at the WCPL launch on Wednesday. She said, “Looking at our team, I think we have probably the strongest team in the tournament, so definitely looking to win another title this year.”
Speaking about the impact that Lanning, who retired from international cricket in November 2023, is expected to have on the team, Mohammed said, “Yeah, she’s definitely one of the best players in the world.”
She added, “To have her on our team to bring that all-round experience, I think it is a really good thing for us this year.”
Additionally, Mohammed expressed her excitement about the return of her former West Indies teammate and prolific scorer Deandra Dottin who recently announced her return from international retirement, will captain TKR in this year’s campaign.
“I’m really excited for her,” Mohammed said. “I think she still has a lot to offer women’s cricket and to West Indies cricket. So I’m really excited for her and she’s just in time for the World Cup (2025) and so looking forward to that.” Mohammed added that Dottin’s batting prowess was missed by the Windies.
Reflecting on last year’s performance, Mohammed acknowledged that batting was a weakness for the team and contributed to their downfall.
“I think our batting for sure, I think, batting is one of the things we lack in the Caribbean and I think that was our downfall last year. But we are looking to build on that this year,” she said
