Matthews given out controversially as Windies fall to England

England broke the West Indies’ unbeaten run with a strong batting performance at this year’s Women’s T20 World Cup. With this win at home, England have qualified for the next stage, while the West Indies Women still need to secure their spot.​

The West Indies entered the fixture played on June 24 at Lord’s in London, undefeated in the tournament, having beaten Scotland and Sri Lanka in their first two matches. A win would have virtually sealed their place in one of the upcoming semifinals. ​

England had their best powerplay of the tournament, scoring 57 runs even after losing Amy Jones and Sophia Dunkley early. Danni Wyatt‑Hodge and Alice Capsey added 66 runs for the third wicket, boosting the total. Wyatt‑Hodge top-scored with 65, while Heather Knight contributed 43, helping England reach a strong total of 186.​

The West Indies needed their top order to lead the chase, but they got off to a slow start. Hayley Matthews’ controversial dismissal made things worse. She was given out after a review for a caught-behind appeal. Although the on-field call was not out, the review showed “Snicko” evidence of a nick, even though there was a clear gap between bat and ball. The West Indies captain walked off looking frustrated.​

West Indies needed to score quickly, but could not keep up. One of the few bright sparks was Chinelle Henry, who struck a fighting 51 off 30 deliveries to go with her 1/25. Ultimately, the Maroon Warriors fell 38 runs short.  ​

Following the defeat, Captain Matthews pointed to her team’s missed opportunities with the ball as the main cause of the loss.  ​“We missed our lengths at some intervals,” she said.  ​

On her controversial dismissal, Matthews said, “Not everything goes your way when you get those occasions. I certainly felt that I definitely did not hit it. At the end of the day, the umpire’s decision was final. Clear gap between bat and ball. But got to respect the umpire’s decision.”  ​

Despite the setback, the West Indies remain among the favourites to advance to the next stage. They must return to winning ways against bottom‑placed Ireland in their final group fixture to guarantee a spot in the semifinals.  

The article Matthews given out controversially as Windies fall to England is from St. Lucia Times.