West Indies coach Shane Deitz and captain Hayley Matthews were all smiles following their team’s gritty three-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers. But both know that celebrations must be short-lived, as with one game left to play and qualification hanging in the balance, their mission is far from over.

After restricting Bangladesh to 227-9, the Caribbean side showed poise under pressure to reach 228-7 in 46 overs, thanks to a well-played unbeaten 51 from Chinelle Henry and a match-shaping all-round performance from Aaliyah Alleyne, who claimed 4-39 with the ball and chipped in with 11 valuable runs near the end of the chase.

The win gave the West Indies a much-needed lifeline, but their fate still rests on the outcome of their next clash and a little help from other results to secure one of the two qualifying spots to India later this year. Pakistan, who were set to register their fourth straight victory—as they required only two wickets against Thailand at the time of reporting—would move back to the top of the standings on eight points. Bangladesh slipped to second with six points, while Scotland (four points) and the West Indies (four points) follow.

"A win’s better than a loss, but we’ve got a big game coming up. All we can do is win and win well, and fingers crossed things fall our way," Deitz said after the match.

Deitz praised the effort and unity shown by his team, especially highlighting the fiery spell from Alleyne that turned the game on its head. He also lauded Chinelle Henry’s finishing effort with the bat.

Aaliyah Alleyne.

"Aaliyah Alleyne bowled probably the best ball I’ve seen from anyone for the West Indies since I’ve been here. It was inspirational — fast, accurate, and hostile. She changed the whole game singlehandedly," the beaming coach shared.

"And the Chinelle Henry brought it home brilliantly. We know she can hit big, but she batted smart too, knocking it into gaps and striking when the ball was in her area. So that was a magnificent innings from her to bring the team home," he added.

Still, Deitz admitted there are areas that need urgent improvement, particularly the inability of set batters to carry on.

"Every time we got a good partnership going, we lost a wicket. That’s something we’ve got to fix. If two batters get in, they’ve got to push it beyond a hundred. That’s how you win games easier," he noted.

For Hayley Matthews, the victory was both a relief and a reset, as well as a chance to breathe, before gearing up for an even bigger battle against Thailand.

"The pitch had a bit in it, so we were happy to bowl first. It was tough in the first 25 overs, but then Aaliyah came in with a match-winning spell. She really pulled the game back into our favour," Matthews said.

Chinelle Henry.

With the bat, Matthews was pleased with the start provided by openers Qiana Joseph and Zaida James and how the team navigated the chase. Still, she emphasized the importance of recovery and mental preparation ahead of the final fixture.

"We’ll take a lot of confidence from this game, but we understand the importance of the last match too. Net run rate is going to come into play. So we don’t just want to win; we want to win convincingly," she declared.

Meanwhile, Deitz knows it well from experience that Thailand, though at the foot of the standings, should not be underestimated. A big win over Thailand could propel West Indies into the coveted second spot, provided Bangladesh suffers a big loss to Pakistan and Ireland upstage Scotland.

"They’ve got some real skillful spinners, and they fight hard. They field hard. It’s going to be a tough game. But we’ve got to show our skills, come out aggressive, and really put them to the sword. We’ve got to push that net run rate up and hope for the best," he ended.