After eight months on the sidelines, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews is poised to reclaim her leadership role as the regional side opens its One-Day International series against Sri Lanka on Friday.
The influential all-rounder, absent since June due to a shoulder injury, returns fully fit for the contest at the National Cricket Stadium, providing a timely lift for a team eager to begin the year with authority.
“Yeah, it’s gonna be a great opportunity for us to start the year off with a game against some really good opposition in Sri Lanka,” Matthews said.
Familiar rivalry, fresh stakes
Matthews emphasized that the visitors represent both a known challenge and a valuable measuring stick for a side intent on immediate success.
“An opposition that we know we would have been matched very closely with in previous games, and who always give us a massive challenge to compete against. So, we certainly are looking forward to playing them.”
She underscored the balance between the teams and the determination within her squad to seize the initiative.
“We’re two teams that match up really well. We’re going to be right there competing to win games and hopefully win the series. There are great merits within the team right now, and everybody is just looking forward to getting going.”
A new year, a new standard
For Matthews, the opening series is as much about mindset as performance. She wants her team’s intensity and body language to signal a fresh beginning for 2026.
“Just going out there with a lot of energy is gonna be super important. It’s obviously a new year and a fresh start, and we kinda wanna go out there with vibes and energy high for our very first match.
“I feel as though if we play the right brand of cricket and we play with the right energy and the right passion, the results will certainly follow.”
Mentorship beyond the scorecard
The squad’s emerging talent has added another dimension to Matthews’ return. She sees her influence extending beyond personal performance to guiding the next generation.
“Them having the opportunity to watch me perform might be something to help them at the same time.
“But it’s just about encouraging them every single time. They’re obviously young and have quite a lot to learn. But the good thing with the youngsters on our team is that they’re all very keen, very hungry, and want to learn, get better, and improve.
“So for me, it’s just about going out there and trying to do my thing as much as possible, at the same time making sure that we nurture them to become the best version of themselves in the future as well.”
Building a fortress at home
Beyond this series, Matthews is intent on reestablishing the Caribbean as a daunting destination for touring teams, particularly after a stretch with limited international fixtures in the region.
“We all are pretty hungry for that. We haven’t had many series in the Caribbean of late, so this is gonna be a great chance for us to kinda make home ours, and really give teams a hard time coming down here.
“This is gonna be the perfect time for us to set that up, and align things how we want to play at home in front of our crowd. And hopefully we’re able to set a really good example for how we wanna go about the rest of the year.”
With their captain restored and ambitions reset, the West Indies enter the series determined not merely to compete, but to define the tone of their season from the very first ball.
