Hayley Matthews cut a frustrated but composed figure after her heroic all-round performance was not enough to lift West Indies past Scotland in their opening ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier on Wednesday.

The captain’s honest post-match reflection captured the heartbreak of the moment.

"I would have preferred to score zero and take no wickets if it meant that we were going to win the match,” Matthews said, moments after her team suffered an 11-run defeat in a game they were heavily favoured to win.

Forced to retire hurt twice during her knock, Matthews battled through pain and adversity to produce a stunning 114 not out off 113 balls—an innings laced with 14 boundaries and grit. She also picked up four wickets for 56 runs earlier in the day, leading from the front in every department.

But despite her brilliance, the West Indies fell short, bowled out for 233 in 46.2 overs while chasing Scotland’s 244.

Now, with the tournament allowing just the top two teams to qualify for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India, the loss leaves Matthews and her squad with no room for error in their remaining four matches.

"It’s a good start in terms of performance for me, but I would have loved the win even more. It just means that we have to really lock in right now and perform really well in these next four matches," she noted.

While Matthews’ effort was a bright spot, it also highlighted a concerning lack of support from the rest of the lineup. In fact, Zaida James, who made 45 off 89 balls, including five fours and a six, was the only other batter to offer any real resistance as a flurry of soft dismissals gave Scotland the upper hand at crucial moments.

"It’s a tournament that is probably going to be up and down when it comes to results, so we still have a pretty good opportunity once we are consistent going forward," Matthews declared.

With her message being to regroup, reset, and respond, Matthews and her team will be hoping to do just that when they cross swords with Ireland on Thursday. The first ball is scheduled for 11:30pm Jamaica time.