PAARL, South Africa, CMC – West Indies face yet another must-win game in the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup when they take on a confident Pakistan in their final group stage game here Sunday.
After losing their first two encounters to England and India, West Indies were confronted with the prospect of having to win their remaining games to keep alive their already slim hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the campaign.
They edged Ireland with a ball to spare in Cape Town on Friday and must now conjure up another positive result at Boland Park if they are to avoid an early exit.
“We’re not going to think about that much to add any pressure on ourselves,” vice-captain Shemaine Campbelle told media.
“It’s just to go out and play the brand of cricket that we can play and just do the basic thing right and just play the cricket that we know we can play, and at the end of the day, the results will come.”
She continued: “I think they come in with a win, we also have a win, so I think both teams get that confidence, but it’s just for us to go out and apply ourselves tomorrow and just play the brand of cricket that we know that we can play.”
The win against Ireland not only gave West Indies their first of the World Cup but, more crucially, broke a wretched run of 15 defeats in T20 Internationals for the Caribbean side dating back to last September.
And Campbelle said the victory was a morale booster after the negative results.
“That’s a big plus for us because we were on a losing track for some time, but breaking that shackle [on Friday], I think, is a good experience for us,” the 30-year-old explained.
“And also, it builds our confidence, and we just get that momentum we’re going to take into tomorrow’s game, so I think that’s a big plus for all the girls.”
The Ireland victory was masterminded by captain Hayley Matthews who struck a joint career-best unbeaten 66 as West Indies chased down 138.
Her contribution was even more critical in light of the West Indies’ injury crisis which saw leading batsman and former captain Stafanie Taylor ruled out again with back issues.
Campbell, who has gotten a couple of solid starts in the tournament, said it was important the batting group played their role in contributing to West Indies’ efforts.
“It’s good to see the other players stepping up, not just depending on one or two people alone, but Hayley played a fantastic inning [on Friday],” she said.
“It’s good to see her back with that form and capitalize and take it right down for the team … so I think that was a big plus for us as well.”
SQUADS:
PAKISTAN – Bismah Maroof (captain), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Sadaf Shamas, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Tuba Hassan.
WEST INDIES – Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Trishan Holder, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Britney Cooper, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams.
and then 