Barbados are off the mark in the 2022 Commonwealth Games after beat Pakistan by 15 runs at Edgbaston on Friday (July 30).
Barbados, who were playing their first-ever international match and are representing Cricket West Indies at CWG 2022.
Captain Hayley Matthews starred with an all-round performance, scoring a half-century and having a hand in four wickets, while Kycia Knight (62) top-scored with the bat.
They Didn’t have the best of starts as they lost opener Deandra Dottin cheaply for eight after being put into bat.
However, Kycia and Hayley recovered their side quickly with an impressive 107-run stand between them for the second wicket.
Although the Pakistan bowlers kept Barbados batters under control, the duo brought up their fifties before Hayely departed for 51 as Fatima Sana got the much-needed breakthrough.
Hayely’s 50-ball innings saw four boundaries and one maximum. Pakistan struck twice again but Kycia (62* off 56 balls) ensured to finish on a high as Barbados posted 144 for four.
In reply, Pakistan lost their opener Iram Javed for a golden duck on the first ball of the chase.
Iram was caught behind off the bowling of Shamilia Connell. Barbados captain Hayley was then involved in the dismissal of the next three batters, including Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof.
While Muneeba Ali was cleaned up, Omaima Sohail and Maroof were run out, reducing Pakistan to 49/4 inside 11 overs.
Pakistan all-rounder Nida Dar single-handedly kept on fighting but couldn’t find a partner at the other end to support her in the run chase. Dar was eventually left stranded on 50 not out as Pakistan were restricted to 129/6.
Matthews was keen to big up their impact and importance to the team.
“It was electric, man,” she said, “I’m always really well supported by the Barbados team. We have a special bond within the group but I really can’t say much more, it was special, that’s for sure.”
“I think when we were out playing our domestic season, what we tried to focus on really hard as the top four core batting group was batting really deep in the innings and that showed today,” Matthews said.
“Obviously, we wouldn’t necessarily have as much depth as we usually would and experience as we usually would within a West Indies team. So backing all the other players 100%, we know that our top four or five batters are our main ones that are looking to score most of the runs, and it was really good that we were able to spend some time at the crease and bat really deep today.”
“I think what’s really good as well is our young players, they really take in as much information as they can, try to learn as much as possible and that’s exactly what you want in a group,” she said. “I keep saying we have a really tight group with a lot of experience and a lot of a youth mix.”
A key theme that has emerged throughout the lead-up to the Games has been the pride players are taking in being part of a wider multi-sport team and Matthews echoed that sentiment: “It’s really good to know that we’re represent something so much bigger now”.
One big backer for Matthews as she embarks on her journey as an international captain is Taylor.
“She messaged me this morning actually to tell me, ‘all the best, take it stride by stride’, and she has been a fantastic captain for me and the West Indies team for the last couple of years and I know she’s always supporting me 100 percent,” Matthews said.
Next up for Barbados is a much tougher proposition – T20 world champions Australia.
“Looking at Australia, we know the kind of class players and athletes that they have in their team,” she said. “But at the same time, I think it’s really good that we can go there with no pressure on us. No one’s looking for us to win the match and I think it’s going to give us a really good opportunity to be able to head out there and free up and play some natural cricket.
“We have some very special players within our team mixed with some youth players that are really full of heart and full of pride and ready to just give everything so I think that combination could hopefully help us to pull off something special against Australia as well.”
Barbados will meet Australia (10.30 pm IST) on July 31 in their Group A fixtures.