Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL)
The Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) is one of the most exciting tournaments in women’s T20 cricket, and it’s only grown in popularity since it launched. Top West Indian players line up against international stars, all set against the kind of carnival atmosphere the Caribbean does better than most cricket boards. That mix of serious cricket and festival energy is why fans worldwide keep following the WCPL season after season.
The 2026 Women’s Caribbean Premier League, played from 5 to 17 September 2026 at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, was won by Guyana Amazon Warriors, who beat Trinbago Knight Riders by 2 wickets in the final for their maiden WCPL title. Chasing 146, the Warriors got there with three balls to spare, a result that also ended a three-year title run for the tournament’s most successful side, the newly renamed Barbados Tridents (formerly Barbados Royals), who were eliminated at the playoff stage.
Introduction
The Women’s Caribbean Premier League is the flagship women’s T20 franchise competition in the West Indies, created by Cricket West Indies in 2022 to bring professional structure, visibility and commercial backing to the region’s women’s game. Built on the cultural energy of Caribbean cricket, the league blends fast scoring, athletic fielding and a festival-style atmosphere that mirrors the men’s CPL while giving women their own dedicated platform. Its early years established a clear identity: compact scheduling, franchise alignment with CPL teams, and a format centred on a round-robin stage followed by a final, ensuring high-intensity cricket within a tight window that suits broadcasters and travelling players alike.
The WCPL’s formation was influenced by several long-running trends in Caribbean sport. The success of the men’s CPL since 2013 created both commercial appetite and fan familiarity with franchise cricket, while a women’s T10 pilot in 2019 demonstrated the region’s readiness for a larger competition. Once launched, the league quickly became a pathway for emerging Caribbean players from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and other islands, offering professional contracts, televised exposure and access to overseas talent. This mix of domestic development and international participation has helped the WCPL strengthen the region’s cricketing ecosystem and deepen its cultural footprint.
Structurally, the WCPL keeps things streamlined: a small number of franchises, a short season, and a format designed to maximize rhythm and clarity for fans. Teams are built around West Indies regulars, supported by overseas specialists and young prospects who gain their first taste of elite competition. The league’s broadcast-friendly calendar, shared venues with the men’s CPL, and growing sponsorship interest have all contributed to its rising profile across the Caribbean and globally. For readers exploring the full story on IndiaBetMaster.com, this introduction sets the stage for deeper sections covering squads, venues, standout players, and the league’s long-term impact.
If you prefer reading in another language, you can also explore the article in Hindi (महिला कैरेबियन प्रीमियर लीग (WCPL) हिंदी समीक्षा), where the same information is presented with added cultural context and simplified explanations that help newer fans understand how the WCPL fits into the wider world of women’s T20 cricket.
Current Season
The 2026 Women's Caribbean Premier League ran from 5 to 17 September 2026, with Guyana Amazon Warriors winning their maiden title, beating Trinbago Knight Riders by 2 wickets in the final at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown.
This was the fifth edition of the WCPL and the first to run with four teams instead of three, after Jamaica Empress joined Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinbago Knight Riders and the newly renamed Barbados Tridents (formerly Barbados Royals). The bigger field didn't stretch the tournament out: each side played the other three once in a single round-robin, the table-topper went straight through to the final, and the second- and third-placed teams met in a playoff for the second final spot. All eight matches were played at one venue, Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, over a tight 13-day window that overlapped with the tail end of the men's Republic Bank CPL, which was running its own Caribbean-wide season through 20 September.
Trinbago Knight Riders topped the four-team table and went straight to the final. Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents finished level for second and third, forcing a playoff to decide who joined them.
- Playoff: Guyana Amazon Warriors beat Barbados Tridents in a rain-reduced, eight-over shootout, chasing 70 to reach 75/3.
- Final: Guyana Amazon Warriors beat Trinbago Knight Riders by 2 wickets at Kensington Oval, chasing 146 with three balls to spare, sealed by an unbeaten 39 from Chedean Nation, named Player of the Match.
It was a fitting reward for a side that had reached two previous finals, in 2023 and 2025, without winning either. For Barbados Tridents, the playoff exit ended a run of three straight WCPL titles under their old Barbados Royals identity, and meant their first trophy-less season since the tournament's 2022 debut.
Limacol WCPL 2026: A New Title Sponsor
The season also carried a new commercial identity. Limacol, the Caribbean personal-care brand that was the men's CPL's original title sponsor back in 2013 and 2014, signed on in July 2026 to take over as the WCPL's title sponsor from Massy Group, whose backing had carried the women's tournament since its 2022 launch. The tournament was rebranded Limacol WCPL 2026, with the brand featured across broadcasts, kits and stadium signage.
The tournament's Indian contingent also grew mid-season: Barbados Tridents signed India international Harleen Deol partway through the competition, taking the number of Indian players across the WCPL's four squads to five. Indian viewers followed the action on JioStar's linear channels and FanCode's streaming platform.
No dates are locked in yet for the 2027 edition, but the WCPL has settled into a reliable early-to-mid September window in four of its five editions so far, and this year's single-venue setup at Kensington Oval fits that same compact pattern. With the four-team format only just introduced, Cricket West Indies and the CPL are more likely to let it settle for another season than expand further right away, though nothing has been ruled in or out.
Ongoing October 2026 Events
 |
ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Test | June 17, 2025 – June 13, 2027 | LIVE |
|
ICC Women's Championship ODI | February 20, 2026 – April 15, 2029 | LIVE |
 |
Minor League Cricket (MiLC) T20 | September 17, 2026 – October 25, 2026 | LIVE |
|
Cricket at the Asian Games T20I | September 17, 2026 – October 3, 2026 | LIVE |
  |
South Africa vs Australia Tour | September 24, 2026 – October 31, 2026 | LIVE |
 |
Col CK Nayudu Winners vs ROI FC | October 1–4, 2026 | LIVE |
|
Irani Cup FC | October 1–5, 2026 | LIVE |
 |
National Cricket League (NCL) FC | October 3, 2026 – November 17, 2026 | |
|
Vinoo Mankad Trophy List A | October 8–27, 2026 | |
  |
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Tour | October 9, 2026 – November 21, 2026 | |
|
Women's U19 T20 Trophy T20 | October 9–26, 2026 | |
|
Ranji Trophy FC | October 11, 2026 – March 3, 2027 | |
|
Col CK Nayudu Trophy Multi-Day | October 12, 2026 – March 1, 2027 | |
 |
India vs New Zealand Tour | October 22, 2026 – December 1, 2026 | |
 |
Nepal Premier League (NPL) T20 | October 26, 2026 – November 21, 2026 | |
|
Senior Women's T20 Trophy T20 | October 26, 2026 – November 20, 2026 | |
 |
Bangladesh vs West Indies Test | October 28, 2026 – November 9, 2026 | |
|
Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) T20 | October 29, 2026 – December 5, 2026 | |
|
Women's U19 T20 Challenger Trophy T20 | October 30, 2026 – November 5, 2026 |
Ongoing October 2026 Events
|
ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Test | June 17, 2025 – June 13, 2027 | LIVE |
|
ICC Women's Championship ODI | February 20, 2026 – April 15, 2029 | LIVE |
|
Minor League Cricket (MiLC) T20 | September 17, 2026 – October 25, 2026 | LIVE |
|
Cricket at the Asian Games T20I | September 17, 2026 – October 3, 2026 | LIVE |
|
South Africa vs Australia Tour | September 24, 2026 – October 31, 2026 | LIVE |
|
Col CK Nayudu Winners vs ROI FC | October 1–4, 2026 | LIVE |
|
Irani Cup FC | October 1–5, 2026 | LIVE |
|
National Cricket League (NCL) FC | October 3, 2026 – November 17, 2026 | |
|
Vinoo Mankad Trophy List A | October 8–27, 2026 | |
|
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Tour | October 9, 2026 – November 21, 2026 | |
|
Women's U19 T20 Trophy T20 | October 9–26, 2026 | |
|
Ranji Trophy FC | October 11, 2026 – March 3, 2027 | |
|
Col CK Nayudu Trophy Multi-Day | October 12, 2026 – March 1, 2027 | |
|
India vs New Zealand Tour | October 22, 2026 – December 1, 2026 | |
|
Nepal Premier League (NPL) T20 | October 26, 2026 – November 21, 2026 | |
|
Senior Women's T20 Trophy T20 | October 26, 2026 – November 20, 2026 | |
|
Bangladesh vs West Indies Test | October 28, 2026 – November 9, 2026 | |
|
Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) T20 | October 29, 2026 – December 5, 2026 | |
|
Women's U19 T20 Challenger Trophy T20 | October 30, 2026 – November 5, 2026 |
Previous Seasons
In its brief existence, the Women's Caribbean Premier League has already created a captivating narrative of success and growing talent. As the league continues to develop, understanding previous seasons provides useful context for fans following WCPL history, results, and the evolution of teams and players.
Past Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) Editions
- 2026 Season
The fifth edition of the Women's Caribbean Premier League was played from 5 to 17 September 2026, with all eight matches hosted at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. This was the first edition to field four teams instead of three, with Jamaica Empress joining and the returning champions renamed Barbados Tridents (from Barbados Royals), and the first to use a playoff between the second- and third-placed sides for the second final spot rather than sending the top two straight through. Guyana Amazon Warriors won their maiden WCPL title, beating Trinbago Knight Riders (145/6) by 2 wickets in the final, chasing 146 to reach 149/8 with three balls to spare.
- 2025 Season
The fourth edition of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League took place from 6 September to 17 September 2025, with all matches hosted at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence. The tournament followed a three-team round-robin format before the final, continuing the structure used in earlier seasons. Barbados Royals completed a remarkable hat-trick of titles by defeating Guyana Amazon Warriors in the final, chasing down the target with a composed lower-order effort to seal a 3-wicket win. The season maintained strong competitive balance, with close finishes and tactical shifts that highlighted the quality of WCPL cricket throughout the tournament.
The 2025 edition also strengthened the WCPL’s identity as a compact, high-intensity event aligned with the men’s CPL through double-header scheduling, which boosted stadium turnout and broadcast visibility. Providence offered consistent playing conditions across the nine-day run, helping teams settle quickly into rhythm. With the Royals extending their dominance, the Warriors showing continued improvement, and Trinbago Knight Riders remaining competitive, the season added another layer to the league’s growing rivalries and provided useful reference points for fans tracking team form and momentum ahead of future WCPL campaigns.
- 2024 Season
Taking place from the 21st to the 29th of August in 2024, the Women's Caribbean Premier League, which was formally referred to as the Massy WCPL 2024, was the third edition of this competition. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in San Fernando, Trinidad, served as the venue for all of the matches, ensuring that the standard of the playing environment was maintained throughout the competition. An intense competition was held between three teams: the Barbados Royals, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, and the Trinbago Knight Riders. The tournament followed the format established in previous seasons.
The Barbados Royals started the 2024 season as the defending champions, and they were able to successfully defend their championship. They did this by demonstrating exceptional consistency and a strong team mentality under the leadership of Hayley Matthews, who was also voted Player of the Series for her performances across the tournament. An exciting match was played between the Barbados Royals and the Trinbago Knight Riders, which resulted in the Barbados Royals prevailing by four wickets. Aaliyah Alleyne took four wickets and scored 21 runs, while Chamari Athapaththu scored an unbeaten 39 runs to help secure the win.
The 2024 season featured several standout individual performances. With 172 runs, including two outstanding half-centuries, Erin Burns of the Guyana Amazon Warriors emerged as the highest run-scorer. Hayley Matthews of the Barbados Royals also performed strongly with the bat, reaching 147 runs, while she dominated with the ball by capturing the most wickets with 11 scalps, including a best of 4/14. Other notable performers included Shabnim Ismail of the Guyana Amazon Warriors and Aaliyah Alleyne of the Barbados Royals, both of whom took nine wickets. Deandra Dottin of the Trinbago Knight Riders also contributed with 119 runs.
- 2023 Season
When the WCPL was held for the second time in 2023, the competition was expanded, and each team played each other twice during the group stage. The tournament was held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, which is located in San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago.
After suffering a loss to the Trinbago Knight Riders in the final match in 2022, the Barbados Royals were victorious in 2023, reversing history and becoming champions. During the final match of the tournament, they defeated the Guyana Amazon Warriors, scoring 169/7 and successfully defending the total. They restricted the Warriors to 161/8, resulting in an 8-run victory.
The progression from 2022 to 2023 and then into 2024 illustrates a league that is successfully creating significant rivalries, finding its rhythm, and continuously offering high-quality cricket competitions. These historical insights help fans understand the development of WCPL teams, performances, and the changing dynamics of the tournament over its early seasons.
- 2022 Season
During the first season of the WCPL, which began on August 30 and ended on September 4, 2022, all of the matches were played at Warner Park in Basseterre, which is located in St. Kitts and Nevis. The Barbados Royals, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, and the Trinbago Knight Riders were the three teams who competed in this pioneering edition. These three teams continue to participate in the competition.
Trinbago Knight Riders became the first team to win the Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL). After beating the Barbados Royals in the championship match, they successfully defended a total of 100/7 by limiting the Royals to 90 all out. Deandra Dottin, who was the captain of the Trinbago Knight Riders, was one of the standout performers of the season. She led her team to victory, finished as the top run-scorer with 100 runs, and was voted the Player of the Series. In terms of top wicket-takers, Shakera Selman and Hayley Matthews both took five wickets, sharing the top spot for wickets during the tournament.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Final Result | Event / Final Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Guyana Amazon Warriors | Trinbago Knight Riders | Guyana Amazon Warriors won by 2 wickets | Kensington Oval, Bridgetown (Barbados) |
| 2025 | Barbados Royals | Guyana Amazon Warriors | Barbados Royals won by 3 wickets | Providence Stadium, Providence (Guyana) |
| 2024 | Barbados Royals | Trinbago Knight Riders | Barbados Royals won by 4 wickets | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, San Fernando (Trinidad and Tobago) |
| 2023 | Barbados Royals | Guyana Amazon Warriors | Barbados Royals won by 8 runs | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, San Fernando (Trinidad and Tobago) |
| 2022 | Trinbago Knight Riders | Barbados Royals | Trinbago Knight Riders won by 10 runs | Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis |
History and Structure
History of the Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL)
The Women's Caribbean Premier League was launched in 2022 by Cricket West Indies in partnership with the Caribbean Premier League, marking the region's first fully professional women's T20 franchise competition. Its creation was driven by the global rise of women's cricket, the success of the men's CPL brand, and the growing commercial interest in women's sport across the Caribbean. The inaugural season in Saint Kitts featured three teams aligned with existing CPL franchises: Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders. Massy Group served as the WCPL's title sponsor from 2022 to 2025, giving the tournament its early commercial base as the Massy WCPL, before Limacol became title sponsor in 2026.
Over the years, the WCPL has evolved in both structure and visibility. The 2023 season expanded the group stage to a double round-robin, increasing match volume and competitive depth. The league also benefited from the introduction of The 6ixty in 2022, a short T10 event that acted as a curtain-raiser and helped build early momentum for women’s cricket in the region. By 2026, the WCPL confirmed its first expansion with the addition of the Jamaica Empress, reflecting both rising player depth and stronger commercial demand. Throughout its growth, the league has maintained a compact tournament window that fits neatly into the Caribbean cricket calendar and aligns with global T20 broadcasting cycles.
Structure, Scheduling and Influences
The WCPL follows a streamlined T20 format built around a short, intense schedule. Most editions have used a single round-robin followed by a final, although the 2023 season briefly expanded to a double round-robin. Matches are typically staged in a single host country each year, a decision shaped by logistical efficiency, broadcast consistency and the CPL’s festival-style approach to cricket. The league often schedules women’s fixtures as double-headers with men’s CPL matches, a strategy that boosts stadium attendance, enhances broadcast reach and creates a unified cricketing atmosphere for fans following team form and tournament developments.
Several external factors have influenced the WCPL’s development. Advances in digital streaming have expanded its global footprint, with established CPL broadcast partners carrying the women’s tournament across India, North America, Africa and the UK. Sponsorship interest has grown steadily as women’s cricket gains commercial traction worldwide, while regional cultural support for women’s sport has helped sustain strong local turnout. The league’s franchise alignment with the men’s CPL has also ensured shared marketing, coaching resources and brand identity, giving the WCPL a professional structure from its earliest seasons. Together, these elements have shaped a tournament that is compact, competitive and increasingly relevant for fans following team trends, match previews and tournament developments across the Caribbean T20 circuit.
Final Thoughts
The Women’s Caribbean Premier League has quickly become one of the most distinctive elements of the global women’s T20 landscape, blending Caribbean flair with a clear developmental purpose. Since its launch in 2022, the tournament has provided a structured, professional environment for players across the region, supported by Cricket West Indies and shaped by the same franchise identities that energize the men’s CPL. Its growth from three teams to four, its evolving formats, and its consistent broadcast presence reflect how seriously the Caribbean has embraced women’s cricket and how strongly the competition resonates with fans in India and worldwide.
Across its early seasons, the WCPL has showcased a mix of established West Indies stars and emerging talent, giving younger players meaningful exposure while maintaining a high standard of play. The league's compact scheduling, shared venues with the men's tournament, and festival-style presentation have helped it build a recognisable rhythm, making it easy for fans to follow and for broadcasters to amplify. With franchises like Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinbago Knight Riders and Jamaica Empress, the competition continues to strengthen its identity and expand its reach.
As the WCPL progresses, its importance goes beyond match results. It represents a long-term investment in women’s cricket across the Caribbean, offering stability, visibility and a pathway for future generations. For readers exploring the full coverage on IndiaBetMaster.com, this closing section serves as a reminder that the WCPL is not just a tournament but a growing movement that reflects the region’s cricketing culture, its commitment to women’s sport, and its ambition to keep evolving in the years ahead.
Did You Know
