1 week Ago
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews pulled off a superhuman effort on Wednesday in the team's Women's World Cup qualifier against Scotland in Lahore, producing an all-round effort, en route to which she even suffered an injury and was stretchered off the field. However, her efforts went in vain as Scotland scripted victory. In the first innings of the match, Matthews returned with her third-best career bowling figures of 4 for 56 as Scotland were folded for 245 runs in 44 overs in the opening day of the 2025 Women's World Cup Qualifier.
For Scotland, they suffered a collapse after reaching 182 for four in 34 overs, looking determined to post a bigger total. However, they ended up with their third-highest ODI total in history and the highest against an ICC Full Member. In reply, West Indies got off to a horror start as Matthews lost her opening partner, Qiana Joseph, in the second over, but the side recovered, riding on a second-wicket stand between the skipper and Zaida James, who laced a 113-run partnership.
However, Scotland bounced back with quick wickets to reduce West Indies to 203 for nine. Matters turned worse for the West Indies, with Matthews suffering from a severe cramp, as she retired hurt twice while on 95 and 99. In the 42nd over, she was stretchered off the field but returned within minutes for the fourth time in the match and eventually completed her ninth ODI century in 101 balls to keep West Indies alive in the fight.
With the triple-figure score, she became only the fourth woman to score a ton and pick a four-wicket haul in an ODI game and the first female captain to the elusive double. Matthews, at 27 years and 111 days, also became the second-youngest and second-fastest (88 innings) to get to the milestone of nine ODI hundreds. Matthews continued the battle, adding 15 more runs in her 30-run partnership with Aaliyah Alleyne, but much to her dismay, Scotland walked away with an 11-run win.
Spinner Abtaha Maqsood trapped Alleyne in the 47th over of the innings, leaving Matthews unbeaten on 114 off 113 balls..
