Matthews’ dominance puts West Indies 1-0 up

An authoritative all-round display from Hayley Matthews gave West Indies a winning start to their tour of Pakistan, their 113-run victory in Karachi stretching their run of successive wins in the country – dating back to 2004 – to seven ODIs. Matthews followed up an unbeaten 140 with figures of 3 for 17; it was the seventh time a player had scored a century and taken three wickets in a Women’s ODI, and the second time Matthews had achieved the feat.

Matthews batted from start to finish of West Indies’ innings after she had opted to bat first, hitting 15 fours and a six in a 150-ball effort. She lost her opening partner Rashada Williams early, but stitched together a stand of 102 with Shemaine Campbelle for the second wicket to lay a solid base for her team. There was no partnership of a similar magnitude thereafter, but Chedean Nation, Chinelle Henry and Aaliyah Alleyne combined with Matthews in stands of 32, 40 and 42 for the fourth, fifth and sixth wickets to help West Indies achieve a 50-overs total of 269 for 8.

Matthews’ 140* was her fifth ODI hundred and her highest score in the format. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal, who opened the bowling, and legspinner Tuba Hassan were Pakistan’s most successful bowlers with two wickets apiece.

Pakistan began their innings needing to overhaul their previous highest successful ODI chase – of a target of 243 – by a considerable margin. They didn’t make the ideal start, losing Sidra Ameen and Bismah Maroof within the first five overs, but their hopes grew as Muneeba Ali and Nida Dar took the score to 59 for 2 in the 12th over. That’s when Matthews made her next big contribution, getting Dar caught behind to start a slump that Pakistan never recovered from. There were no further partnerships of note besides a brisk 37 between Najiha Alvi and Tuba for the seventh wicket as Pakistan folded for 156 inside the 36th over.

Apart from Mathews’ three-for there were also two wickets each for legspinner Afy Fletcher and left-arm spinner Zaida James.

Karachi will also host the second and third ODIs, on April 21 and 23.

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