A Player-of-the-Match performance from captain Hayley Matthews that took West Indies Women to a 113-run win against hosts Pakistan Women in the first ICC Women’s Championship One-Day International at the National Stadium.
The 25-year-old Barbadian all-rounder scored her fifth ODI hundred, a career-best,140 from 150 balls belting 15 fours and one six to power the Caribbean side to 269 for eight after they decided to bat in the 50 overs-a-side match.
Matthews then spearheaded the bowling of the West Indies Women taking three for 17 from six overs, limiting the Pakistanis for 136 in 35.5 overs. West Indies were in a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The Caribbean side earned two points in the 10-team ICC Women’s Championship table towards direct qualification for next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup which will be staged in India.
Matthews’ side now have 10 points from 13 matches, and are now ninth in the standings trying to become one of the five teams that directly qualify for the World Cup.
West Indies Women were one for one in the third over after opener Rashada Williams was caught and bowled by Sadia Iqbal for one. They leapt to 43 for one at the close of the first Power Play.
Matthews and her deputy Shemaine Campbelle stepped in on a second wicket partnership of 102, which the Caribbean side built their innings.
Campbelle made 45 and allrounder Chinelle Henry chipped in with 23, but none of the remaining WI batsmen reached 20. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal, who opened the bowling, and leg-spinner Tuba Hassan the most successful bowlers for Pakistan Women with two wickets apiece.
In reply, Henry held a return catch to dismiss opener Sidra Ameen for one in the second over, and fellow pacer Shamilia Connell got the experienced Bismah Maroof caught behind for seven in the fifth over.
The Caribbean side restricted the Pakistanis to 53 for two at the end of the first Power Play, and Matthews got captain Nida Dar caught behind for 19 and finished off the run out of opener Muneeba Ali for 22.
West Indies Women leg-spinner Afy Fletcher and left-arm spinner Zaida James took two wickets apiece. Tuba made 25 and Najiha Alvi made 20 in a 37 run stand for the seventh wicket.
