WI Women put perfect win record on the line

WEST INDIES Women, now on a high at the ICC Women’s World Cup, will put their 100 per cent win record on the line when they face India in their third match starting today at 8 p.m. (Jamaica time) in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Following narrow back-to-back wins over hosts New Zealand and defending champions England, the regional women who are in the third position on four points will be looking to go top of the standings with a win over fifthplaced India who have two points from two games.

The current position would come as a surprise for many Caribbean fans but head coach Courtney Walsh says the results are a testament to their hard work which is bearing fruit at the right time.

Whilst the team has not yet played what could be described as a perfect game, Walsh has stressed that the team will continue to play relaxed competitive cricket.

“One of the things we have stressed is to ensure that the team is having fun in the field whilst giving it their all. It is all about being relaxed and not putting ourselves under pressure,” urged Walsh.

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West Indies batting has been the catalyst for the team’s good showing at the global showpiece, with the Caribbean women getting over 200 runs on both occasions so far.

All-rounder Hayley Matthews has been leading the charge with the bat, scoring 164 runs in two innings, including a century. Those numbers are the second-best in the tournament so far.

Whilst Matthews, Shemaine Campbelle and Chedean Nation have been showing good touch with the bat, captain Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin and Kycia Knight have not yet set the tournament alight.

Despite that, Walsh is not ready to push the panic button just yet.

“You want to see Stafanie and Deandra firing but if they can fire at the right time for us while Hayley and the others carry on the battle, that would be good for us.”

West Indies vice-captain Anisa Mohammed has also been instrumental with the ball, having picked up four wickets so far in the tournament. Mohammed is keen to continue the good start against India. “I know a lot of teams are counting us as underdogs, we have not been playing a lot of good One Day International cricket lately, but we have nothing to lose. So it’s just a matter of us coming out here, having fun and keep believing in each other and keep believing that we can win matches and I’m sure that we have quite a lot of teams to surprise in this tournament,” said Mohammed.