London, June 25 (IANS) West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has urged her side to remain positive and focus on their must-win clash against Ireland after England handed them their first defeat of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Lord’s in the recently concluded encounter.

The loss left the Caribbean side needing a victory in their final Group B fixture to keep their semi-final hopes firmly in their own hands, with Matthews insisting that the team still controls its destiny despite the setback.

Reflecting on the result, Matthews admitted that West Indies may have got their tactics wrong at the toss after opting to bowl first against an England side that eventually posted a challenging total.

“It certainly was hot out there, but I feel like it was a bad decision for us to bowl. The batters started off pretty well for the England side. We probably missed our lengths at some intervals and towards the end, but I still felt like we were too bad; we probably let ourselves down a bit in the field more so than anything,” Matthews said post-match.

England capitalised on the decision through strong contributions from Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Heather Knight, setting a target that West Indies never seriously threatened despite a late partnership in the chase.

The contest was played at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, a venue that carries significant prestige, but Matthews dismissed suggestions that the occasion may have contributed to her side’s shortcomings.

“I don’t think the occasion necessarily caused it. I think we’re all pretty excited to get the opportunity to play at Lord’s. These are opportunities and chances that some people get once in a lifetime. So I think it was a case where everyone was absorbing the fact that things won’t always go your way during a major occasion. But we’re going to have to come back to the next match, get a win against Ireland and then hopefully we can be right back at a big spot to make up for that,” she added.

One of the talking points of the match was Matthews’ own dismissal. The West Indies skipper was given out caught behind after England successfully reviewed an on-field not-out decision, a call that sparked debate.

Asked about the incident, Matthews maintained that she believed she had not edged the ball but accepted the verdict.

“I certainly felt that when I cut the ball, I didn’t hear a noise, but I felt like I definitely did not hit it. But at the end of the day, I feel like the umpire’s decision has got to be final. I think there was a clear gap between the bat and ball, but at the same time I’ve got to respect the decision that was made and go ahead with that,” the all-rounder stated.

Matthews also revealed a fitness concern involving senior batter Stefanie Taylor, who was forced to leave the field during England’s innings after experiencing breathing difficulties.

“Stefanie (Taylor) was feeling a bit unwell today. She left the field in the first inning due to chest tightness and difficulty breathing. So I think she’s got a bit of a respiratory illness, so hopefully, she can get better for the next match. And that’s a really crucial match for us,” she mentioned.

Despite the disappointment of the defeat and concerns surrounding Taylor’s health, Matthews remained confident that the West Indies can respond when they face Ireland in their final group-stage encounter.

“It’s all in our control, and coming up against Ireland, I think we just need to stay really positive, and once we’re playing our best band of cricket, we should come out on top of the game at the end of the day,” Matthews stated.

–IANS

vi/bc