Opinion piece by West Indies captain Hayley Matthews on behalf of the ICC:
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.
Now we are back at a competition we reached the semi-finals in two years ago, and we have belief. 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.
I definitely think that when you look at our team and how players have grown, like Chinelle Henry and some of the other youngsters that we have within the group that are able to make an impact in certain points of the game, I definitely feel that we have a stronger team than we did then.
It’s about us showing up, having our plans in order and being really prepared. Once we do that, we have a good chance of progressing well.
Cricket is constantly changing and par scores are getting higher, so I feel like as a player, but as an opener especially, you have to continue to find ways to score. We are always looking for ways to adapt and keep up with the improving standards around the world.
Being able to adapt a lot quicker is something that I’ve been trying to work on recently, as well as adding more shots to my game that hopefully I have enough confidence to bring out when the World Cup comes around.
As a squad, we feel we are familiar with English conditions. We enjoyed a white ball tour here last summer and myself, along with several of my teammates, have played extensively in the country through franchise cricket. The crowds are always really good in those competitions, which leads to a great atmosphere, and we are looking forward to more of the same this summer.
In the lead-up to the World Cup, we have a training camp in England, while we are also travelling to Ireland to play in similar conditions in a tri-series, also including Pakistan. They are probably the closest conditions to what we will face in the World Cup, so it is ideal for us.
It is hard to believe it is 10 years since we lifted this trophy on that famous night at Eden Gardens. I was only a teenager, but that night defines what this team can achieve at its very best. Winning a World Cup is the pinnacle of a cricketing journey, so we certainly take a lot of pride from that experience.
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.
Clover Rabbit
Virender Sehwag’s highest scores in T20, ODI and Tests are 119, 219 and 319 respectively.
FLAK Angel
The cricket bat has been a source of controversy in cricket. In 1771, one player attempted to breach the rules. Thomas White, an English cricketer, took his turn with a bat that was as wide as the wickets in the field. This ensured better defense and gave Thomas an unfair advantage. A protest by the opposing team ensued which later led to a change in cricket laws in 1774, setting the bat width to no more than 4.25 inches.