Deandra Dottin has come out of international retirement, making herself available for West Indies selection once again, nearly two years after a sudden decision to quit while leading Barbados in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The development is a boost for West Indies ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October this year.
"Representing West Indies in international cricket has always been a matter of great pride and passion for me," Dottin, 33, said in a letter to Cricket West Indies (CWI) that was part of the board's statement. "After a period of reflection and thoughtful dialogue with various parties within Cricket West Indies, including Cricket West Indies President, Dr. Kishore Shallow, I am pleased to inform you that I am eager to return to the game that I love, and contribute my utmost to the West Indies women's team across all formats, with immediate effect.
"I am confident that my experience, maturity, and skills will add value to the team as it has done in the past, and I am prepared to furnish my best efforts in every match and training session to ensure the team's winning trajectory in international cricket. Moreover, I am enthusiastic about mentoring younger players and contributing to the overall development of women's cricket in our region."
CWI welcomed Dottin's decision. "Deandra is a player of immense ability and experience," CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe said. "We are pleased with her decision to return to international cricket and be eligible for selection. There is no doubt that she could add significant value to the West Indies Women's teams."
When Dottin announced her retirement in August 2022, citing a "non-conducive" environment within the West Indies set-up, she had played 143 ODIs (3727 runs at an average of 30.54) and 127 T20Is (2697 runs). She holds the record for the fastest century in women's T20Is - a 38-ball hundred against South Africa in the 2010 T20 World Cup. She also has 72 wickets in ODIs and 62 in T20Is.
"It has a lot to do with the board, how they handle stuff and how they handle players and how they actually speak to players," Dottin said in August 2022 about her decision to retire. "Certain people take things different, so it is a lot of work that West Indies Cricket will need to be done and I think they need to do it as fast as possible because it's not going to end well for West Indies Cricket or cricket in the Caribbean.
Dottin was active on the T20 league circuit after her retirement but hasn't been in competitive action since September 2023. She will captain the Trinbago Knight Riders team in the upcoming women's Caribbean Premier League, ahead of a West Indies camp in August in the lead up to the T20 World Cup.