Hayley’s career-best knock powers West Indies to beat Pakistan

F.P. Report

KARACHI: A career-best 140 not out by Hayley Matthews gave the West Indies Women a 113-run winning start in the three-match ICC Women’s Championship 2022-2025 fixture against Pakistan Women at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday.

The 26-year-old from Barbados struck 15 fours and a six in a 150-ball innings to guide her side to 269 for eight after the visitors had elected to bat first. Matthews then demonstrated her skills with the ball to cap a fine day in the office by grabbing three wickets for 17 runs in six overs as the home team was bowled out for 156 in 35.5 overs.

This was Matthews’s fifth career century in 81 matches and came from 125 balls with nine fours and a six. She had earlier reached her half-century from 57 balls with six fours and a six.

Hayley put on 102 runs for the second wicket with Shemaine Campbelle (45, 71b, 4×4) after Sadia Iqbal had dismissed Rashada Williams in the third over of the innings. After the West Indies slipped from 103 for one to 138 for four, Hayley added 40 runs for the fifth wicket with Chinelle Henry (23, 23b, 2×4, 1×6).

It was Hayley’s brilliance that allowed the West Indies to collect 77 runs in the last 10 overs, including 49 runs off the last 30 balls.

In their turn at the wicket, Pakistan Women were left chasing the game from the very start when they plummeted to 65 for four, which soon became 100 for six. They were eventually dismissed for 156, thanks to 23-ball 25 by Tuba Hassan.

From the top order, only opener Muneeba Ali (22, 33b, 1×4) and Nida Dar (19, 27b, 3×4) offered some resistance against all the accurate West Indies bowlers. Apart from Matthews, Afy Fisher and Zaida James picked up two wickets apiece, conceding 14 and 19 runs, respectively.