A decade after West Indies stunned the cricketing world by lifting the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy at Eden Gardens, captain Hayley Matthews believes her side can once again challenge expectations and produce something special on the global stage.
West Indies head into the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup carrying both scars and motivation from recent ICC tournaments. Their campaign at the previous T20 World Cup ended in heartbreak after a narrow semi-final defeat to New Zealand, while failing to qualify for the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup delivered an even bigger blow to a proud cricketing nation.
For Matthews, those disappointments have shaped a stronger and more resilient squad ahead of another major tournament. “Failing to qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup last year hit us hard. Everyone who was there certainly felt it, and we don’t want to go through a feeling like that again,” Matthews wrote in her ICC column.
Missing a World Cup forced reflection within the group but also created renewed hunger. The West Indies captain believes difficult experiences over the past two years have accelerated the team’s development and strengthened belief within the squad.
West Indies reached the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2024 and Matthews feels the current group enters this tournament better equipped to handle pressure moments. Emerging players have added greater depth to the squad, while established names continue to provide stability.
“Now we are back at a competition we reached the semi-finals in two years ago, and we have belief,” Matthews said. “We have matured from the experience of missing out and while we still retain the sting of that recent disappointment, it is matched by the excitement of attending an international showcase and the glow of a decade-old triumph.”
Among the players Matthews highlighted was Chinelle Henry, with the captain pointing toward the emergence of younger match-winners as one of the biggest positives within the current setup. She believes the squad possesses stronger balance and greater flexibility than previous campaigns. Preparation has also become a major focus heading into the tournament. West Indies will hold a training camp in England before travelling to Ireland for a tri-series involving Pakistan and Ireland.
–Familiarity with English surfaces could prove an advantage. Several members of the squad have featured extensively in franchise competitions in England, while Matthews herself enjoyed success during West Indies’ white-ball tour there last year, finishing as the leading run-scorer of the series with 177 runs despite her side suffering a 3-0 defeat.
The 27-year-old also acknowledged the rapidly evolving demands of T20 cricket and the need for continual improvement. “We are always looking for ways to adapt and keep up with the improving standards around the world,” Matthews said.
Few memories inspire West Indies cricket more than their famous triumph in Kolkata in 2016. Matthews was still a teenager when West Indies defeated Australia in the final to secure their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup crown — a victory made even more memorable after the men’s team completed a historic double hours later.
Ten years later, Matthews hopes history can repeat itself. “Ten years on, it would be great if we could redo a feat like that. It might mean even a bit more in a time like this, where we probably aren’t one of the top three or four teams people have pinned to win it. Hopefully, we can prove those people wrong,” Matthews said.
West Indies begin their campaign on June 13 against defending champions New Zealand in Southampton carrying belief, experience and memories of a night that changed their history. Matthews now hopes another chapter can be written.
(Quotes sourced from Hayley Matthews’ column for ICC)
Loves all things female cricket