Matthews shines as WI Women crush Bangladesh in ODI opener

West Indies Women’s Captain Hayley Matthews again led with the bat and ball to give her team a nine-wicket victory over Bangladesh Women in the first One-Day International at Warner Park in St. Kitts.

Matthews captured two wickets with her off-spin, cracked an exhilarating, unbeaten century to ensure the Windies victory, and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Player-of-the-Match Matthews added 163 runs for the opening partnership with Qiana Joseph, who made 70, and they comfortably overtook Bangladesh’s total of 198 for nine, finishing on 202 for one off 31.4 overs.

The two openers started slowly, managing just eight runs from the first three overs, before she smacked spinner Sanjida Akter for four boundaries in the sixth over. She then smashed Sultana Khatun for two fours in the eighth over.

Matthews continued her assault by smashing Marufa Akter for two more boundaries in the 11th over. She got to her half-century with just 67 runs on the board.
Joseph soon joined in blasting Sanjida Akter for two huge sixes and eventually brought up her first ODI half-century as the West Indies reached 129 without loss.

The pair carried their side past the 150 mark, and victory was in clear view, but Joseph was then caught on the boundary off Khan.

With the Windies requiring just three runs for victory, Matthews got to her eighth ODI century when she took a quick single after driving Khan to cover.
She ended the contest by hitting Khan’s next delivery to the boundary. Matthews faced 93 balls and hit 16 boundaries.

Bangladesh Women failed to perform as they had a solid start from their top order.

Sharmin Akter scored 42, and opener Murshida Khatun made 40, and they were at one point at 115 for two.

However, once Matthews removed both batters to reduce them to 123 for four, Bangladesh found it hard to make the runs. Sobhana Mostary (35) and Shorna Akter, who made 29, tried their best in a 54-run partnership, but once they were dismissed, Bangladesh lost five wickets for just 21 runs.

Deandra Dottin was the pick of the bowlers with 3-40, while Aaliyah Alleyne (2-22) and Matthews (2-41) provided good support.