Merissa Aguilleira

{{Short description|Trinidadian cricketer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Merissa Aguilleira | female = true | image = Merissa Aguilleira.jpg | caption = Merissa Aguilleira in 2009 | country = West Indies | fullname = Merissa Ria Aguilleira | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|12|14|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Trinidad]] | batting = Right-handed | bowling = | role = [[Wicket-keeper]]

| international = true | internationalspan = 2008–2019

| club1 = [[Trinidad and Tobago women's national cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]] | year1 = {{nowrap|2005–2018/19}}

| columns = 2 | hidedeliveries = true

| date = 21 May 2021 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/player/355348.html ESPNcricinfo }}

'''Merissa Ria Aguilleira''' (born 14 December 1985) is a Trinidadian former [[cricket]]er who played as a right-handed [[wicket-keeper]] [[Batting (cricket)|batter]]. She played for the [[West Indies women's cricket team|West Indies]] between 2008 and 2019, appearing in 112 [[Women's One Day International|One Day Internationals]] and 95 [[Women's Twenty20 International|Twenty20 Internationals]] before announcing her retirement from international cricket in April 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1196531 |title=Former West Indies captain Merissa Aguilleira retires from international cricket |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=24 April 2019}}</ref> She played domestic cricket for [[Trinidad and Tobago women's national cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/merissa-aguilleira-355348 |title=Player Profile: Merissa Aguilleira |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=21 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/321/321806/321806.html |title=Player Profile: Merissa Aguilleira |work=CricketArchive |access-date=21 May 2021}}</ref>

== Career == In 2007, she was named captain of [[Trinidad and Tobago women's national cricket team|Trinidad and Tobago]]. Another role Merissa has is as the Sports Ambassador for [[Atlantic LNG]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.paradisepulse.com/#!merissa-aguilleira-the-queen-of-caribbe/c1rk8|title=Meet the Caribbean's Cricket Queen: Melissa Aguilleira|last=|first=|date=|website=Paradise Pulse|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>

Aguillera [[captain (cricket)|captained]] the West Indies in the [[2009 Women's Cricket World Cup]]. A [[wicket-keeper]] and top order batsman, she has played 15 [[Women's One Day Internationals|One Day Internationals]] since making her début against the [[Netherlands women's cricket team|Netherlands]] in 2008.

In 2011, in Bangladesh, Aguilleira was part of the West Indies team that won ([[ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier]]) a four-nation tournament. She and her team also played in the 50-over World Cup Final in 2013. They played against Australia and were defeated. Earlier in Merissa’s life, she went to Moruga Composite School where she played [[windball cricket]].

In 2015 Aguilleira was removed as captain when [[Pakistani women's cricket team in the West Indies in 2015–16|Pakistan women's cricket team]] toured [[West Indies]], three days before they were announced as a new team. Jamaican’s [[Stafanie Taylor]] replaced her.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2015-05-15/aguilleira-sacked-reinstated|title=Aguilleira sacked, reinstated|last=|first=|date=|website=Guardian|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>

Aguilleira was captain of the West Indies from 2007 to 2015. While she was captain she took the team to the finals of the [[2013 Women's Cricket World Cup]] and took the team to the semi-finals the last three Twenty20 World Cups.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/J-can-Taylor-replaces-Aguilleira-as-Windies-Women-s-skipper_19227343|title=Jamaican Taylor replaces Aguilleira as Windies Women's skipper|last=|first=|date=|website=Jamaica Bserver|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=10 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510134404/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/J-can-Taylor-replaces-Aguilleira-as-Windies-Women-s-skipper_19227343|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Aguilleira along with reserve players are a part of a squad that is currently in a training camp at the [[West Indies High Performance Centre]] in [[Barbados]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://guyanacricketboard.com/windies-women-are-capable-says-aguilleira/|title=Windies women are capable|last=|first=|date=|website=Guyana Cricket Board|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref> On 17 February 2013 West Indies were defeated by Australia by 114 runs in the finals. This was the ICC Women’s world cup at Barbourne Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-australia-beat-west-indies-to-win-icc-women-s-world-cup-1801027|title=Australia beat West Indies to win ICC Women's World Cup|last=Gopalkrishnan|first=Krithika|date=17 February 2013|website=dna|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref> Also in 2013 Merissa Aguilleira was a nominee for Sportswoman of the Year at First Citizens Sports Foundation Awards ceremony, this was held at Queen's Hall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.trinidadexpress.com/woman-magazine/21_Questions_with_Merissa_Agilleira-199635751.html|title=21 Questions with Melissa Aguilleira|last=|first=|date=24 March 2013|website=Trinidad Express Newspapers|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>

In 2016 Merissa Aguilleira and the rest of the [[West Indies]] defeated [[New Zealand]]. This was in the semi-finals in the [[ICC Women's World Twenty20|Women's ICC World Twenty20]] in Mumbai, India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gettyimages.com/photos/merissa-aguilleira?sort=mostpopular&excludenudity=true&mediatype=photography&phrase=merissa%20aguilleira&family=editorial|title=Merissa Aguilleira Pictures and Photos|last=Kruger|first=Jan|date=|website=gettyimages|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>

She holds the record for playing the most number of [[Women's Twenty20 International|WT20I]] matches as captain who also has kept wicket (62 matches).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283399.html|title=Records {{!}} Women's Twenty20 Internationals {{!}} Individual records (captains, players, umpires) {{!}} Captains who have kept wicket {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|work=Cricinfo|access-date=5 June 2017}}</ref>

In October 2018, [[Cricket West Indies]] (CWI) awarded her a women's contract for the 2018–19 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/24866534/kemar-roach-gets-all-format-west-indies-contract |title=Kemar Roach gets all-format West Indies contract |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=2 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/867947 |title=Cricket West Indies announces list of contracted players |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=2 October 2018}}</ref> Later the same month, she was named in the West Indies' squad for the [[2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20]] tournament in the West Indies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/windies-women-squad-for-icc-womens-world-t20-announced/ |title=Windies Women Squad for ICC Women's World T20 Announced |work= Cricket West Indies |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/877249 |title=Windies Women: Champions & hosts reveal World T20 squad |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref>

== Outside of cricket == In 2002, alongside the Trinidad and Tobago Under-23's, Merissa played hardball cricket. Aguilleira is a part of the annual book drive in her community of Moruga. Doing this she partnered with Atlantic to help support the students in her community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.atlanticlng.com/atlantic-sports-ambassadors/merissa-aguilleira|title=Merissa Aguilleria|last=|first=|date=|website=Atlantic|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{cricinfo|id=355348}} *{{cricketarchive|id=321806}}

{{Navboxes |title=West Indies squads |bg=#79001F |fg=#FCED00 |bordercolor=#FCED00 |list1= {{West Indies Squad 2009 Women's Cricket World Cup}} {{West Indies Squad 2009 ICC Women's World Twenty20}} {{West Indies Squad 2010 ICC Women's World Twenty20}} {{West Indies Squad 2012 ICC Women's World Twenty20}} {{West Indies Squad 2013 Women's Cricket World Cup}} {{West Indies Squad 2014 ICC Women's World Twenty20}} {{West Indies Squad 2016 ICC Women's World Twenty20}} {{West Indies Squad 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup}} {{West Indies Squad 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aguilleira, Merissa}} [[Category:1985 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Trinidad and Tobago women cricketers]] [[Category:21st-century Trinidad and Tobago sportswomen]] [[Category:Trinidad and Tobago women cricket captains]] [[Category:West Indian women cricketers]] [[Category:West Indies women Twenty20 International cricketers]] [[Category:West Indies women One Day International cricketers]] [[Category:West Indian women cricket captains]] [[Category:Wicket-keepers]]