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By Samuel Peters
Antigua and Barbuda’s cricketing future continues to shine brightly as national Under-19 wicketkeeper-batsman Tanez Francis has been selected for the West Indies Under-19 squad ahead of their bilateral series against England Under-19s.
The highly anticipated series is set to bowl off on November 16th, and Francis will be looking to make his mark on the international youth stage.
The 17-year-old’s call-up comes on the back of an exceptional performance at the 2025 CWI Under-17 Championships held in Trinidad and Tobago. Francis, who captained the Leeward Islands U-17 team, was in devastating form throughout the tournament, accumulating an impressive 403 runs. His tournament highlights included a magnificent century of 110 against Jamaica, complemented by three well-crafted half-centuries that demonstrated his consistency and temperament at the crease.
He will not be alone in representing Antigua and Barbuda on the regional stage. He joins fellow countryman Matthew Miller in the West Indies U-19 squad, marking a proud moment for the nation’s cricket development.
The Jennings Secondary School student, who also plays for Empire Nation at the club level, scored 381 runs at an average of 29.31 with a top score of 90 in the 2025 Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association Two Day Competition. He has been identified as one of the brightest prospects in Leeward Islands youth cricket.
Francis’s selection underscores the strength of Antigua and Barbuda’s youth cricket program and provides valuable experience for the young wicketkeeper-batsman as he continues his development on the path to senior international cricket. The series against England will offer Francis and his teammates crucial exposure to high-quality opposition and the pressures of international competition as they prepare for the Youth World Cup set to bowl off in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Meanwhile, also earning selection from the Leeward Islands is St Kitts’ Kunal Tilokani, who served as vice-captain of the U-17 team and delivered an outstanding all-round performance. Tilokani was named MVP for the two-day segment of the CWI Under-17 Championship, topping both the run-scoring charts with 227 runs and the wicket-taking list with 22 dismissals.
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