Captain Hayley Mathews believes the pitches will be a crucial factor if West Indies Women are to make an impact in next month’s ICC Twenty20 World Cup.
The Caribbean, winners of the 2016 edition of the tournament, have suffered a crushing nine-match losing streak in Twenty20 internationals, but Mathews said she was excited by their “strategic and calculated” preparation for the South African showpiece.
In 2018, they did well enough to reach the semi-finals before being eliminated by the Australian women’s team, and in 2020, they won just one of four matches to exit the final four.
“As a team, we have big aspirations of playing a high level of competitive cricket. One of the main objectives we have is to expectantly showcase our improvements upon our first-round exit from the tournament in 2020.”
“We’ve had time to regroup and make developments to both our individual and team game which can hopefully assist us in creating some upsets, to take us along a path to the finals.”
“In a contentious tournament like this, we believe consistent performances are vital to a successful run. As a result, we believe a confident run can also bring about the breakout of budding talent within the squad.”
“Heading into this tournament, our immediate preparation has been very strategic and calculated. It has given us the opportunity to acclimatize to the conditions in South Africa, an entire month early.”
The Caribbean side continues to struggle, having been whitewashed 5-0 by England Women in the Caribbean last December and then losing all four matches in their tri-series this month.
However, the captain added that the current team is a balanced team with a mix of experienced and fresh players.
“At the moment, our squad comprises a mixture of experience and youth, providing balance to the charismatic aura of our team.”
“Our bowling has proven to be our strength over the past year, which when paired with our exciting fielding, can help us to rally close games.”
“With dependable veterans, like Shakera Selman, Afy Fletcher, and Stafanie Taylor leading the way with the ball, there is always a shot at defending almost any total set.”