DAWKINS TO LEAD WIDER COMMONWEALTH AS GOWER TAKES CHARGE FOR UNDER-23 CLASH AT CHOGM 2026
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — England’s Ben Dawkins will captain the Wider Commonwealth in Sunday’s Commonwealth Future Stars Under-23 ten-overs-a-side match, with former England captain David Gower taking charge as Honourary Manager when the side meets the Caribbean at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on November 1.
The announcement completes the line-up for the fixture, following confirmation of a Caribbean squad captained by Dominica’s Stephan Pascal and managed by West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards.
Dawkins, 20, who played the role of wicketkeeper-batter for the England squad that reached the final of the 2026 ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, said the opportunity to lead a team for such a historic and meaningful occasion is an honour.
“It is a real privilege to be asked to lead the Wider Commonwealth side, and to do it in Antigua, a place with so much cricket history,”
said Dawkins.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to share the field with players from right across the Commonwealth, and I’m looking forward to playing the game in the spirit of the entire celebration.”
Sunday’s match also brings an added storyline from the dugouts. Gower and Sir Vivian, now managing opposing sides, captained England and the West Indies against each other in the 1980s, including the 1986 series in the Caribbean in which Sir Vivian struck a then-record 56-ball Test century in Antigua.
The Under-23 match will follow a special Heads of Government fixture as part of “One Commonwealth, One Team – A Commonwealth Cricket Celebration”, presented by Hamilton Reserve Bank, during the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The event is hosted by Cricket West Indies (CWI) in collaboration with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Commonwealth Secretariat, with support from event sponsors Trivandi, Khalili Foundation and Sustainable Markets Initiative.
Built around the CHOGM 2026 theme — “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth” — the evening puts young cricketers at its heart through its “Play for the Future” message, highlighting the role of sport in developing the leaders of tomorrow.
Wider Commonwealth Under-23 Squad:
- Ben Dawkins (Captain) – England
- Sahijvir Dhaliwal - Canada
- Angad Gill – Canada
- Keegan Jones – Bermuda
- Muhammad Aayan Mazhar – Canada
- Isaiah O’Brien – Bermuda
- MD Samiun Basir Ratul – Bangladesh
- Sa-Qui Robinson – Bermuda
- Aaryan Sawant – England
- Rajroop Singh – Canada
- Zeri Tomlinson – Bermuda
- Aravinda Bishop
Honourary Manager: David Gower