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West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews (left) holds her head after they failed to qualify for the Women’s ICC World Cup in their final match against Thailand Women. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)
LAHORE, Pakistan, CMC – West Indies Women fell heartbreakingly short of qualifying for the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup later this year despite a heroic performance against Thailand in their final match of the World Cup Qualifiers on Saturday.
Needing to score 167 in 10.1 overs to boost their net run rate (NRR) above Bangladesh Women’s after dismissing Thailand for 166 in 46.1 overs, the West Indies Women finished on 168 for four off 10.5 overs – four balls too many.
The result left West Indies Women and Bangladesh Women tied on six points, but Bangladesh Women claimed the second and final qualifying spot with a NRR of 0.639, slightly better than the West Indies’ NRR of 0.626.
It will be a tough pill to swallow for the regional side, who will feel they allowed Thailand to score 30 runs too many.
They came into the match knowing that only a massive victory over Thailand, coupled with a Bangladesh loss to Pakistan would give them a chance of qualifying.
Pakistan thumped Bangladesh by seven wickets in the day’s opening match to give them hope before skipper Hayley Matthews won a crucial toss and sent Thailand in to bat at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Thailand got a decent start thanks to openers Nattaya Boochatham (29) and Chanida Sutthiruang, who made 21, and along with Nannapat Koncharoenkai saw them progress to 64 for one.
However, once Boochatham was bowled by Aliyah Alleyne, spinner Afy Fletcher took four quick wickets to see them collapse to 85 for six.
West Indies would have been hoping to wrap up the innings soon after, but Natthakan Chantham scored a fighting half-century to rally the lower order.
Chantam hit 66 from 98 balls before she was last out, as Thailand’s last four wickets added 81 runs to frustrate the Windies.
Fletcher ended with 4-20, while Alleyne (3-41) and Ashmini Munisar (2-15) lent good support.
Faced with the herculean task of scoring at almost 17 runs an over, West Indies Women got a whirlwind start from Matthews and Joseph.
After scoring just nine runs from the opening over bowled by Phannita Maya, Matthews then thumped offspinner Nattaya Boochatham for a six and two fours in the next over that yielded 17 runs.
The carnage continued with Matthews scoring 19 runs off the next over bowled by Maya before Joseph joined in on the act by clobbering Boochatham for 18 runs as the West Indies sped to 63 without loss after four overs.
Matthews then brought up her half century in 21 balls when she hit medium pacer Chanida Sutthiruang for three boundaries in the fifth over.
Thailand ended the partnership when Thipatcha Putthawong dismissed Joseph for 26 with the score on 81, but the Windies continued to motor along.
But they lost the crucial wicket of Matthews for 70 off 29 balls, which contained 11 fours and two sixes, to leave them 105 for two at the end of seven overs.
Shemaine Campbelle and Chinelle Henry shared a 41-run partnership off 16 balls before the former was run out for nine, leaving the West Indies 146 for three off 9.4 overs and requiring 21 runs from three balls.
The West Indies still had an opportunity to advance, but they needed to tie the score and then hit a six off the last ball of the 10th over.
However, Stafanie Taylor hit a six with the score on 162 to end the contest and seal the West Indies’ fate.
