West Indies captain/skipper Hayley Matthews has risen to a career-best second place in the ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings following a magnificent performance against England recently.
Matthews, who was awarded Player of the Series, dominated the three-match contest with 177 runs, scoring an unbeaten century in the opening game at Canterbury in England.
Her escapade propelled her past India’s Smriti Mandhana and Australia’s Tahlia McGrath, reclaiming the No. 2 position she last held in December 2023.
Matthews, considered one of the top batters in the world in T20 cricket, is now on 765 rating points, just 29 points behind Australia’s Beth Mooney, the number one ranked T20 batter.
Fellow countrywoman Deandra Dottin, who missed the England series, fell nine places back in the ratings in 20th position with 609 points.
Another teammate, opener Quina Joseph, fell 11 places in 40th position on 492 points.
Following the T20 series against England, Matthews said, “I think just having some firm plans and playing to my strengths at all times has helped me a lot. I feel like I’ve been fortunate enough to play a lot of T20 cricket worldwide and gain experience. I’ve learned a lot more about my game and just put my plans into practice. Thankfully, since I’ve been here, I’ve been able to execute pretty well.”
Overall, Matthews’ performance has been impressive, and she is now one of the top players in women’s T20 cricket.
