West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews attributed their 10-wicket loss to South Africa in the opening match of the Women’s T20 World Cup to an inability to adapt to the challenging conditions in Dubai. Despite acclimatizing for two weeks prior to the tournament, the Caribbean side could only manage 118 for six in their 20 overs, which South Africa easily chased down without losing a wicket.
At the post-match press conference, Matthews expressed disappointment in both the team’s batting and bowling performances, noting that they failed to score enough runs or take any wickets. “We would have liked to take a few wickets and at least put up a bit more of a fight in the second innings,” she said.
Mathews talks about conditions
Matthews acknowledged that while the hot and humid conditions were tough, they were not unexpected. “It’s probably the hottest place I’ve ever played cricket or even been, and that’s coming from the West Indies,” she said. She also added that while the team was familiar with the conditions, having camped in Dubai before, they failed to adapt properly this time around.
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On the positive side, Matthews highlighted Stafanie Taylor’s efforts during the middle overs but admitted that more was needed from the team as a whole.
Looking ahead, Matthews emphasized the importance of quickly regrouping, with their next game against Scotland only two days away. She also provided an update on injury concerns, including Zaida James, who suffered a blow to the face, and Stafanie Taylor, who appeared to cramp up during the game. Matthews hoped that James, despite some swelling, would be fit to play in the next match.
The West Indies will be eager to bounce back against Scotland as they aim to stay in contention for the knockout stages of the tournament.
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