Windies top three thrash Sri Lanka, enter semi-finals

• Hayley Matthews scores second fastest fifty in tournament, powers home team into last four

The pitch at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium finally lived up to its high-scoring reputation as the Windies banished their batting blues to beat Sri Lanka by 83 runs. Hayley Matthews starred with a glowing half-century, and helped the home team to their highest score in T20I cricket.

Matthews scored the second fastest half-century in this tournament, bringing up her fifty off just 25 balls, and helped her team to the third highest score in all ICC Women’s World T20s. The Windies booked a spot in the semi-finals as a result, undefeated in the three games they have played so far, and will now face fellow qualifiers England on Sunday to decide who tops Group A.

After the Windies won the toss and batted first, Matthews and Deandra Dottin put up a belligerent 94-run opening stand in 9.4 overs, setting a base from where they could accumulate a total of 187 for five. Matthews hit eight fours in her knock, but the standout shot was a straight six off the last ball of the Powerplay, taking the Windies to 72 runs for no loss in the first six overs.

While Matthews (62, 36b, 8x4, 2x6) got to her fifty in just the eighth over, Dottin (49, 35b, 8x4) was not far behind in pace. She displayed the powerful hitting for which she was promoted to the top of the order, often rendering fielders irrelevant when she timed the ball well enough. She fell in the 13th over one short of her fifty, having made her highest T20I score since she scored her second T20I hundred against the same opposition last year.

As a home crowd of more than 5000 people cheered, Stafanie Taylor ensured the strong start was not wasted, hitting 22 off the last eight balls she faced to finish on 41 (25b, 4x4, 2x6). Together, the Windies top-three hit 152 runs from the team’s total.

In reply, Sri Lanka made what might otherwise have been considered a much improved start, getting to 71 for four in 11 overs. But besides captain Chamari Athapaththu (44, 35b, 7x4) no other batter spent time at the crease, although many showed the intent that had been missing in previous games.

Once Matthews entered the attack in the 13th over, she starred with the ball as well to extinguish Sri Lanka’s hopes. She picked up three wickets in as many overs, and took a leaping catch at cover, to resolve any doubt about the Player of the Match award.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 104 in 17.4 overs, handing the Windies a massive 83-run win. The match also saw the one-millionth ball in all women’s international cricket bowled.

Scores in brief:

Windies defeated Sri Lanka by 83 runs at the Daren Sammy National Stadium at Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

Windies 187-5, 20 overs (Hayley Matthews 62, Deandra Dottin 49, Stafanie Taylor 41)
Sri Lanka: 104 all out, 17.4 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 44; Hayley Matthews 3-16)