Hayley Matthews’ century helps West Indies Women beat Australia Women in record T20I chase
West Indies (WI) Women’s captain and all-rounder Hayley Matthews shone as her side beat Australia Women by seven wickets in a record T20I chase. The second T20I of the three-match series between the two sides took place at the North Sydney Oval on Monday, October 2. In the match, Matthews picked up three wickets before smashing her fourth T20I century.
Chasing 213, Matthews smashed 132 runs off 64 balls at a strike rate of 206.25, including five sixes and 20 boundaries. During her knock, she also completed 2,000 runs in international cricket, becoming the third WI women's player to reach the landmark after Deandra Dottin and Stafanie Taylor.
Apart from Matthews, Stafanie Taylor also chipped in with 59 off 41 deliveries, comprising 11 boundaries.
Megan Schutt emerged as the pick of the bowlers for Australia, finishing with figures of 2/30, while Jess Jonassen scalped a solitary wicket.
Asked to bat first, Australia had scored 212/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Ellyse Perry top-scored with 70 off 46, including four sixes and five boundaries.
Phoebe Litchfield also smashed an unbeaten 52 off 19 balls, including five sixes and three fours. The left-handed batter also equaled New Zealand captain Sophie Devine for fastest fifty in T20Is (18 balls). Devine had slammed an 18-ball half-century against India Women at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru in July 2015.
Georgia Wareham and Beth Mooney too contributed 32 (13) and 29 (22), respectively.
Matthews starred with the ball for the West Indies as well, finishing with figures of 3/36, while Shamilia Connell scalped two wickets. Chinelle Henry also picked up two wickets.
Hayley Matthews’ West Indies Women level the series 1-1
With the win, West Indies overtook England Women for the highest chase in T20Is. The latter held the previous record, having chased down 199 against India Women, winning the game by six wickets at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, in 2018.
The victory helped WI level the three-match T20I series with Australia 1-1. Australia had won the opening T20I by eight wickets, courtesy of half-centuries from Tahlia McGrath and Alyssa Healy. Hayley Matthews had also smashed 99 off 74 in the last T20I, which went in vain.
Click here to check out the WI-W vs AUS-W 2nd T20I scorecard.