Matthews bemoans senior players’ struggles despite semi-final run

West Indies Women captain Hayley Matthews did not shy away from accepting responsibility after her side's ICC Women's T20 World Cup journey ended in the semi-finals, acknowledging that the team's most experienced players failed to produce the performances needed to challenge for the title.

Following Tuesday's eight-wicket defeat to Australia Women at Kennington Oval, Matthews admitted that the Caribbean side's premier batting trio, herself, Deandra Dottin, and Stafanie Taylor, never found the consistency expected of them throughout the tournament.

Despite reaching the final four for a second consecutive Women's T20 World Cup, Matthews said the lack of major contributions from the team's established stars ultimately proved too much to overcome.

Top order failed to set the standard

The tournament statistics reflected the struggles Matthews described.

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Shemaine Campbelle emerged as the team's leading run-scorer, compiling 176 runs at an average of 35.20 across six innings.

Matthews, normally the cornerstone of the batting lineup, managed 146 runs at an average of 24.16, while Deandra Dottin scored 98 runs at 19.60. Stafanie Taylor, limited to four innings, accumulated just 90 runs.

Matthews believes those returns fell well below the level required for a championship-winning campaign.

"For the entire tournament I just feel like we haven't had too many individual standout performances. I think we had Shemaine [Campbelle] in that first game alongside Aaliyah [Alleyne], and we had Chinelle [Henry] score a 50 in that match against England.

"But I think that when we look overall as a group, we haven't had enough players really put their hands up and take control of a game, and in T20 cricket you always need someone stepping up and putting down good performances and I think that's what we lacked not only today, but the entire tournament."

Young core provides encouragement

Although disappointed with the semi-final exit, Matthews said the tournament also highlighted the encouraging progress made by the team's emerging players.

She credited the younger members of the squad for helping West Indies navigate the group stage and secure another appearance in the tournament's final four despite the struggles of its senior stars.

"We always feel disappointed, but I keep reiterating all the time that the fact that we've made it to this stage of the competition with a lack of performances from our big players speaks volumes to the supporting cast that we have in the team. It speaks volumes to the likes of Aaliyah Alleyne, maybe a Jahzara Claxton and a Jannillea Glasgow."

Matthews noted that previous West Indies teams relied far more heavily on the established core, making this year's collective effort especially meaningful.

"Things used to look a lot different once upon a time, and I certainly feel like the last World Cup or the one before that, if I had the form that I did with the bat and Deandra Dottin did, we would not be in a semi-final right now."

Silver lining amid the disappointment

While Matthews acknowledged that she, Dottin, and Taylor fell short of expectations, she believes the team's ability to remain competitive despite those struggles demonstrates the increasing depth within the West Indies squad.

The captain said the resilience shown by the supporting cast offers optimism for the future, even as the senior players reflect on a tournament in which they were unable to produce their best cricket.

"So I think we can take a lot of pride from that, knowing that me and Deandra and Stafanie [Taylor], we are a bit let down, but we are proud that as a unit we were still able to get over the line in a lot of the games," Matthews said.

For Matthews, the semi-final defeat served as both a disappointment and a lesson. The West Indies proved they possess a deeper and more balanced squad than in previous years, but the captain knows that future title challenges will depend on the team's marquee players delivering when the stakes are at their highest.