Bristol, June 21 (IANS) West Indies captain Hayley Matthews believes her side’s unbeaten start to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup has put them firmly on course for the knockout stage after their five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the County Ground in Bristol on Sunday as she said that the team has got ‘high confidence’ heading into their next clash against hosts England, who are also unbeaten.

Speaking after the match, Matthews said the Caribbean side’s tactical decisions before the game, disciplined execution with the ball and composure during the chase have strengthened their confidence ahead of a crucial meeting with England.

The victory made it three wins from three for West Indies, leaving them needing just one more success to all but confirm a place in the final four.

“It puts us in a really good place. You know, going into the next match against England, I think we’ve got high confidence. But yeah, I certainly feel like if we can win one more game here, it gets us into the semifinals. So, yeah, a lot of confidence going into the next two matches, but still just want to take it one game at a time,” Matthews said after the game.

Matthews revealed that the team’s plans began at the toss, with West Indies eager to exploit the early assistance available for the bowlers on a surface that offered extra bounce.

“I think it was a crucial toss for sure. We definitely felt like we had a bit of tennis ball bounce early on. So yeah, really good that we got to go to the ball and take advantage of that,” she added.

That approach was complemented by a tactical change in the playing XI, with West Indies opting to field an additional spinner in Ashmini Munisar. Matthews said the decision reflected both Sri Lanka’s batting composition and her side’s confidence in the depth of its batting order.

“I think a bit of the tactical awareness against a team like Sri Lanka, but also certainly feel like we have enough batters down the line. And I guess having that extra spinner could have really made a difference, which sure today,” she stated.

The move paid immediate dividends as Matthews produced her best-ever figures in a Women’s T20 World Cup, claiming 3 for 15 after removing Sri Lanka’s top-order batters inside the powerplay. She explained that the plan centred on targeting Sri Lanka’s biggest batting threats before they could settle.

“It was really crucial for us to get some early wickets. We know Sri Lanka’s really big batters are the ones at the top of the order with their two left-handers at Chamari and the other one as well. So, yeah, I think for us, we just really wanted to get some early wickets and it gave me the flexibility to be able to go hard in the power play and bowl a few overs with Munisar coming in as well,” Matthews said.

Although West Indies lost five wickets while pursuing a target of 99, Matthews insisted there was never any concern inside the dressing room, pointing to the team’s strong position throughout the chase and the experience still available in the batting lineup.

“Certainly no pressure. We were at 36 after six overs. We’re right on top of the game. Stafanie at the crease and we had players like Alleyne still to come in as well. So I don’t think we had any nerves at any point in time. Probably would have liked to chase it down a bit more convincingly, but I think chasing totals like that can always be a bit tricky. But at the same time, like I said earlier, I certainly feel like our batters are going to have opportunities to peak at the right time. And what’s really important is that we’re winning matches right now,” the all-rounder mentioned.

With momentum on their side and qualification within touching distance, Matthews’ focus has already shifted to the next challenge, as West Indies look to carry their winning run into a pivotal encounter with England, to be played on Wednesday at the iconic Lord’s in London.

–IANS

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