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Player-of-the-Month honor goes to Matthews from West Indies Women

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Hayley Matthews of the West Indies Women was selected one of two Players-of-the-Month for November by the International Cricket Council.

After outstanding performances in the three-match (ODI) tournament against Pakistan last month in Karachi, as well as the cancelled 50-overs ICC World Cup Finals in Zimbabwe, the slick right-hander was awarded the accolade.

She defeated Pakistani Anam Amin and Bangladeshi left-arm spinner Nahida Akter. After excelling at the T20 World Cup held in the United Arab Emirates, Australia’s opener David Warner won the men’s award. His team won their 1st championship.

In the time period under scrutiny, the 23-year-old Matthews scored 141 runs at an average of 35, while claiming nine wickets at 13 runs apiece with her dependable off-spin.



She was named Player-of-the-Series after hitting 57 runs and capturing three wickets against Pakistan in the first ODI at the National Stadium, followed by 26 runs and four wickets in the second game. She hit 49 in the final game as the West Indies Women completed a critical clean sweep.

While she struggled with the bat in the Qualifiers’ first encounter, her two strikes propelled West Indies Women to a comfortable victory over Ireland Women. Irfan Pathan, an ICC panel member, commented that Hayley was the outstanding star, performing with both ball and bat.

Her all-around effort was a key factor in the West Indies’ victory over Pakistan, and she deserved to be named Player of the Month for the women. Matthews was nominated for the ICC Player-of-the-Month award in August after strong performances against Pakistan Women in the Caribbean earlier in the year, but Captain Stefanie Taylor won.

Matthews earned her global debut at the age of 16 and has remained a key member of the multicultural team ever since. In 2016, she was a member of the team that won their first-ever Championship in the T20 World Cup held in India.

The Barbadian citizen has also been in high demand internationally, having played in Australia’s Women Tournament and England’s maiden Hundred league. In January, the ICC Player-of-the-Month award was established. She currently represents Barbados and the Hobart Hurricanes in domestic cricket, having previously represented Tasmania, Southern Vipers, Lancashire Thunder, Velocity, and Loughborough Lightning.  She has also competed in various international track and field tournaments as a Barbados javelin thrower.

Outside of her time with the West Indies, Matthews spent the 2015–16 seasons in Australia, playing domestic cricket for the Tasmanian Roar in the Women’s National Tournaments and the Hobart Hurricanes in the Women’s Big Bash League’s debut season.

She got 77 runs from 51 balls in a WBBL match against the Melbourne Stars. Matthews grabbed her 50th wicket in WT20Is in September 2020, in the third match against England. Matthews was given a central contract by Cricket West Indies in May 2021. She was selected for the West Indies team for the 2021 Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier competition in Zimbabwe in October 2021.

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