London, England (CMC):
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has declared that her team will enter today’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia with “nothing to lose” and a fearless mindset that could prove dangerous for the tournament favourites.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the crucial knockout clash, Matthews exuded confidence despite facing the world’s number one-ranked side, who enter the semi-final in formidable form after brushing aside India in their final group match.
“We certainly feel like, coming up against Australia, we have nothing to lose, and that puts us in a position where we can be quite fearless going out there,” Matthews stated.
The West Indies have navigated a challenging path to the semi-finals, with Matthews acknowledging both pride in their journey and the belief that her side has yet to reach its full potential.
“It’s obviously been quite a journey to get here, but I think, as a team, we’re really proud of the way we’ve played so far, but still know that we haven’t been at our best, which gives us a lot of confidence knowing that we can still get a lot better,” she explained.
When asked about the emotional connection to West Indies’ 2016 World Cup triumph at Eden Gardens, Matthews was pragmatic about drawing inspiration from the past.
“Slightly. That was 10 years ago and a much different group. I also think the game was a lot different at that time.”
Instead, the captain pointed to more recent encounters, particularly a match against Australia in 2023, as a better reference point for tomorrow’s contest.
“I feel like at the oval, conditions might be pretty similar. We saw the game that England played the other day at home. The wicket was coming on, and the par score, we feel, is certainly going to be a lot higher than it was so far in the competition.”
Matthews has identified a key lesson from recent encounters with the Australians, and that is to never let up.
“You can’t take your foot off the gas at any point in time. I think, especially when you’re bowling, they seem to come hard from ball one and have a mantra where they just want to keep going,” she observed.
The West Indies skipper stressed the importance of capitalising on opportunities against a team that builds partnerships and applies constant pressure.
“You’re going to have to hold on to your chances for sure, and understand that at some point in the game, a partnership likely will build. It’s about trying to control the flow of the runs as much as possible and just trying to build as much pressure as possible.”
Matthews was unequivocal about what it will take to overcome the tournament favourites.
“We’re going to need big performances from big players. I think we’re certainly going to need a standout individual performance, I believe. But I think to beat a team like Australia, you still need more than one player, and we’re going to have to have our best players really stepping up to the plate tomorrow.”
The captain highlighted the contributions of players like Aliyah Alleyne and Jahzara Claxton, who have provided crucial support throughout the tournament, but acknowledged the need for the team’s established stars to fire.
“I think I said multiple times that we haven’t had our best match yet. We haven’t had the likes of myself or Deandra Dottin in the runs, really. And that leaves a lot of room for improvement for us as a team.”
With expectations firmly on Australia’s shoulders, Matthews believes her team can approach the semi-final with an advantageous mentality.
“When we step out onto that field, everyone’s expecting us not to win, in a sense. And when you go into a game with people probably looking at you thinking that if you do win, it’s going to be a surprise, you certainly feel that you can just go there, be free.”