WCPL 2026 Local Squads Confirmed After Expansion Draft
WCPL 2026: Jamaica Empress Enter as All Four Franchises Lock In Local Rosters The 2026 Women’s Caribbean Premier League has officially confirmed its local player squads across all four franchises following the conclusion of a restructured Player Draft — one shaped significantly by the tournament’s most consequential change in years: the arrival of the Jamaica Empress.
For the first time in the competition’s history, the WCPL will field four franchises when the 2026 season gets underway. The Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and Trinbago Knight Riders are joined by the Jamaica Empress, a new franchise that immediately adds both regional depth and star power to the league.
To accommodate the expansion, tournament organisers revised the draft structure. Rather than following the previous format, each franchise was first assigned a Heritage player — a locally identified cricketer from their home territory — before further squad protections and selections took place.
The Heritage allocations were as follows: Barbados Tridents received Hayley Matthews, the Guyana Amazon Warriors retained Shemaine Campbelle, the Trinbago Knight Riders were allocated Karishma Ramharack, and the Jamaica Empress were assigned Chinelle Henry — a fitting foundation for a side making its tournament bow.
Once Heritage players were assigned, the three established franchises were each permitted to shield two additional players from their 2025 rosters. The Jamaica Empress, entering fresh without a previous squad, was then able to select two players from the remaining draft pool.
Among the notable names retained or selected in this round: Deandra Dottin and Jahzara Claxton went to Trinbago Knight Riders, while Jamaica Empress secured two of the region’s most recognised figures in Stafanie Taylor and Aaliyah Alleyne. The Barbados Tridents protected Qiana Joseph and Afy Fletcher, and the Guyana Amazon Warriors held onto Realeanna Grimmond and Ashmini Munisar.
The remainder of the draft then filled out each squad’s local complement.
The confirmed full local rosters for 2026 are:
Barbados Tridents: Hayley Matthews, Qiana Joseph, Afy Fletcher, Shawnisha Hector, Shabika Gajnabi, Mandy Mangru, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Naijanni Cumberbatch, Asabi Callender, Amrita Ramtahal
Jamaica Empress: Chinelle Henry, Stafanie Taylor, Aaliyah Alleyne, Rashada Williams, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Kate Wilmott, Celina Whyte, Abigail Bryce, Shriya Jairam
Guyana Amazon Warriors: Shemaine Campbelle, Realeanna Grimmond, Ashmini Munisar, Shamilia Connell, Eboni Brathwaite, Sheneta Grimmond, Chedean Nation, Reniece Boyce, Latoya Williams, Tilleya Madramootoo
Trinbago Knight Riders: Karishma Ramharack, Deandra Dottin, Jahzara Claxton, Jannillea Glasgow, Steffie Soogrim, Earnisha Fontaine, Samara Ramnath, Ameila Khan, Brianna Harricharan, Sainavi Kambalapalli
Each franchise will also integrate five overseas players to complete 15-player squads. Those signings are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
The expansion to four teams marks a significant structural milestone for the WCPL. For years, the competition operated with three franchises, limiting the breadth of talent representation and the number of competitive matchups per season. Adding Jamaica Empress not only broadens the league’s geographic footprint but also gives more Caribbean players meaningful exposure at a professional level.
The overseas player regulation change is equally noteworthy. In 2026, all five overseas spots per team will be eligible for selection in the match-day XI — a departure from previous rules that restricted how many could feature simultaneously. This gives coaches considerably more tactical flexibility and could raise the overall quality of play throughout the competition.
The Jamaica Empress’s squad, headlined by Stafanie Taylor — one of the Caribbean’s most decorated women’s cricketers — signals that the new franchise intends to be competitive from day one rather than spending a season finding its footing.
The WCPL has grown steadily as a platform for women’s cricket in the Caribbean, offering players professional contracts and competitive experience at a regional level. The tournament runs parallel to the men’s Caribbean Premier League and has used that infrastructure to build its own audience and identity over recent seasons.
Hayley Matthews, the Heritage pick for Barbados Tridents, is currently one of the most in-form women’s cricketers in the world, bringing genuine star quality to her home franchise. Deandra Dottin, retained by Trinbago Knight Riders, is another globally recognised name whose presence adds credibility and pulling power to the competition.
The decision to assign Heritage players before opening the draft reflects a deliberate effort to maintain regional identity within a tournament that is also expanding its international outlook through overseas signings.
With local rosters confirmed, attention now shifts to the overseas player announcement. All four franchises are expected to finalise and reveal their international signings in the weeks ahead, completing the picture ahead of the 2026 season.
The league’s new identity platform, “She’s In,” will accompany the tournament’s promotional push — a campaign built around empowerment, competitive spirit, and community connection, targeted through female-focused social media channels across the Caribbean region.
Exact fixture dates and the full tournament schedule for WCPL 2026 are yet to be announced, but the expanded format will inevitably mean more matches and greater opportunities for fans across the region to follow their franchises.
The 2026 WCPL enters its most ambitious season yet. With four franchises now confirmed, a revamped draft process, expanded overseas eligibility rules, and the Jamaica Empress arriving with genuine star power, the stage is set for the league’s most competitive and widely followed edition to date. All eyes will now be on the overseas player announcements before the season gets underway.
