Women's T20 WC: 'Wanted to get off to a great start,' says Matthews on game-turning spell after WI's win
Bristol, June 21
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews credited her side's aggressive start with the ball after guiding the Caribbean outfit to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at the County Ground in Bristol on Sunday.
Named Player of the Match following her decisive spell with the new ball, where she scalped three wickets in her first two overs, Matthews said the team's plan was to strike early against a Sri Lankan batting unit featuring several left-handers, a strategy that ultimately laid the foundation for West Indies' third successive win in the tournament.
Matthews removed three of Sri Lanka's top-order batters inside the opening three overs, leaving the opposition reeling before the West Indies bowlers completed the job by dismissing them for 98.
Reflecting on her approach with the new ball, Matthews said taking wickets in the powerplay had been central to the team's plans.
"I had the opportunity to start things off with the ball, and yeah, I felt like I wanted to hopefully get the team off to a really good start, and we knew early wickets were going to be crucial against a team like Sri Lanka. The wicket really favoured the spin style of bowling a lot. Thankfully I was able to put it on the spot and get a couple early on," she said during the post-match presentation.
The conditions also influenced West Indies' selection, with off-spinner Ashmini Munisar handed her first appearance of the tournament as the side opted to field four spinners. Matthews explained the decision was shaped by Sri Lanka's batting lineup and praised the youngster for making an immediate impact.
"Looking at the lineup of Sri Lanka, they do have a lot of left-handers within their side. And we felt like someone like Ashmini could make a massive difference with her off-spin and the way she bowls. So she came in today and performed wonderfully as well. And yeah, kudos to her. I think coming in for her first World Cup match and playing how she did," Matthews added.
Despite losing five wickets while chasing a modest target of 99, Matthews insisted there was never any concern in the dressing room about the outcome. West Indies reached the target with nearly four overs to spare, with Stafanie Taylor steering the chase after a brief middle-order wobble.
"It's okay. At the end of the day, we got over the line. I don't feel like there was any point in time where we thought we weren't going to get any runs. Yes, we lost five wickets, but we were still in a very comfortable position throughout the innings. And I certainly feel like if we're batting the way we are right now or playing the way we are right now and getting over the line when we have some of our batters peaking at the right time, it might be good for us."
The Player of the Match award carried added significance for Matthews, whose father was once again present in the stands to watch her lead the side.
"He's always here at the ground supporting. So yeah, good that I could get one in front of him," she stated.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is exactly what India's women's team needs to learn - aggressive bowling from the first over. Too often our girls start defensive with the new ball. Matthews showed how to attack left-handers with spin early on. Also loved how Ashmini Munisar stepped up in her first World Cup match - that's real team planning and depth, not just relying on big names.
Nice to see West Indies doing well again in women's cricket. But I'm a bit worried about their batting depth - losing 5 wickets chasing 98 is not ideal, even if Matthews says they were comfortable. Against stronger teams like Australia or England, that middle-order wobble could be costly. Hope they fix this before knockouts. 😊
What a player Hayley Matthews is! 🏏 That spell with the new ball was world-class. And the fact that her dad was there to watch - very heartwarming. Cricket is full of such small moments that make it special. India can take notes on how to use spinners effectively in powerplay overs. Well played West Indies!
As someone who follows women's T20 closely, this is a masterclass in match awareness. 4 spinners on a turning track - brilliant captaincy from Matthews. Sri Lanka's top order looked clueless against that spin attack. But I'm curious why more teams aren't using this tactic against left-handers. Seems like cricket tactics are still evolving in women's game. Good to see!
Honestly impressed by how West Indies planned for this game. They actually analyzed Sri Lanka's weakness against left-arm spin and exploited it perfectly. Reminds me of how India's men's team used to do this in the 2000s. Hope Indian women's team management is watching - we need this kind of strategic depth in our coaching staff too. 😅
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