Hayley Matthews delivered a captain’s performance under pressure as West Indies avoided a series whitewash with a commanding six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final ODI, sealing their first points of the new ICC Women’s Championship cycle at St George’s.
With Sri Lanka already holding an unassailable series lead, the spotlight fell firmly on Hayley Matthews, who influenced the contest in every discipline. The skipper set the tone early by removing Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu in the opening over, before anchoring a composed chase with her tenth ODI century as West Indies overhauled a challenging target of 218.
Sri Lanka posted 217 for 7 after being put under early pressure. Following Athapaththu’s dismissal, Harshitha Samarawickrama steadied the innings with a patient 70 off 112 balls, sharing a crucial third-wicket stand with Vishmi Gunaratne.
However, despite late resistance from Kavisha Dilhari, the visitors found it difficult to accelerate in the closing overs as West Indies bowlers tightened their grip. Matthews finished with figures of 2 for 33, while Karishma Ramharack struck at key moments to restrict the scoring surge. The chase began shakily for the hosts as Qiana Joseph and Shemaine Campbelle departed early, leaving West Indies reeling at 12 for 2.
Matthews weathered the initial storm, taking time to settle before unfurling her full range of strokes. She found a reliable ally in Stafanie Taylor, with the experienced duo adding 124 runs for the third wicket to stabilise the innings and swing momentum firmly back in West Indies’ favour. Taylor’s contribution also saw her climb to second place on the all-time ODI run-scorers list.
Matthews brought up her half-century from 48 balls and, although she eased the tempo later in the innings, the required rate never threatened to spiral out of control. A reprieve on 70, when Nilakshika Silva failed to cling on to a return catch proved costly for Sri Lanka. Matthews eventually reached her hundred from 118 deliveries, underlining her control and composure throughout the chase.
Although Matthews fell soon after reaching the landmark, West Indies were firmly on course. A brisk 49-run partnership between Deandra Dottin and Chinelle Henry ensured there were no late hiccups, guiding the hosts across the line with wickets in hand.
The victory not only denied Sri Lanka a clean sweep but also provided a timely boost for West Indies as they began their Women’s Championship campaign. More importantly, it reaffirmed Matthews’ stature as the side’s talisman, a leader capable of shaping matches with both bat and ball when it matters most.
