West Indies Captain Hayley Matthews, despite nursing a leg injury, remains hopeful that her remarkable form will continue uninterrupted as she eyes participation in the upcoming One Day International (ODI) Series against Australia.
Matthews recently secured her eighth consecutive Player of the Match award, capping a historic series against the world champions.
Matthews, the opener, exhibited her prowess by scoring an explosive 79 off 40 balls in the most recent T20 match, following her impressive performances of an unbeaten 99 off 74 and 132 off 64 in earlier games. Her exceptional display made her the first player in women’s T20I history to amass over 300 runs across three consecutive games, a feat she herself found “unbelievable”.
The West Indies team came tantalizingly close to securing their first-ever series win against the world champions but narrowly fell short. Matthews reflected on her form, saying, “I don’t think so. Being able to notch up 300 runs in a three-game T20 series is something unbelievable. I set targets coming down here and I can tell you, it definitely wasn’t getting 300 runs in three T20s.”
Matthews set for scans to evaluate injury severity
As the teams prepare for a three-game ODI series in Brisbane starting tomorrow, Matthews remains hopeful that a quadriceps injury won’t stop her from leading her steadily improving team, which relies heavily on her performance.
She felt some tightness in her quadriceps during the second T20 game on Monday, and it returned on Thursday. Scans are scheduled to determine the severity of the injury, and Matthews is optimistic that it’s not too serious and she’ll be ready for the upcoming ODI match.
The 25-year-old has a long history in the sport, playing for the Barbados senior women’s team at the age of 12 and making her national team debut at 16. She played a pivotal role in her team’s victory in a T20 World Cup when she was just 18 years old.
Matthews recognizes her substantial influence on the game, stating, “I know that I have a big impact on the way that the game goes.”
Her performance as captain has been particularly noteworthy, with an average of 40 in 27 T20 innings as captain compared to an average of 18 in 61 innings without the leadership role. Acknowledging the pressure that comes with leadership, Matthews emphasized, “Sometimes, it can be stressful, but as a leader, these are things you have to put on your shoulders.”
Windies Captain Matthews expresses faith in team
She also lauded the contributions of her teammate, Stafanie Taylor, in the second game.
As she looks forward to the 50-over series, Matthews intends to focus on playing well-executed cricket shots, prioritizing precision over quick scoring. She has confidence that her inexperienced middle-order will excel in the longer format, where they won’t face as much pressure to score quickly.
Even though the West Indies have historically struggled against Australia in ODIs, with only one win in 15 encounters, Matthews maintains her optimism about her team’s chances in the upcoming series.
