Born on 14th July 1992 in Barbados, ODI and T20 International player for West Indies, Shamilia Shontell Connell.
A right-arm bustling fast bowler, Shamilia made her debut for Barbados against Jamaica in 2010 and took 1-19, including the wicket of West Indies player, Natasha McLean. Her captain that day was Shakera Selman, herself a fast bowler. The two would go on to bowl together for West Indies.
In August 2014 Shamilia took a career best in domestic 50 over cricket when she tore through Dominica, taking 6-31. She removed the first three batters for ducks. West Indies selectors took notice and Shamilia was selected to tour Australia with the team two months later. Her ODI debut was at Hurstville Oval in Sydney, and the young speedster took 0-22 from her four overs against the formidable Australian batting line-up.
It would be 2015 before Shamilia would get her first wicket, that of Marina Iqbal of Pakistan. It took eight matches before she took that wicket but West Indies were smart to stick with the quick bowler. She took 50 wickets in her ODI career with a best of 4-54 against South Africa at Wanderers Stadium in February 2022. During that career she has appeared in two World Cups, 2017 and more recently in 2022 where she took the wicket of Alyssa Healy in the semi-final.
A T20 International debut came in September 2014 against New Zealand in Kingstown. As with ODIs, it was a few games into her career before she took a wicket and once again it was against Pakistan. Once into the groove Shamilia has not looked back and played 76 T20Is for West Indies taking 52 wickets with a best of 3-14 against England at Derby in 2020. She has played in three T20 World Cups, none better than 2016 where West Indies defeated Australia in the final.