West Indies women delivered a commanding all-round performance to secure a nine-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the opening One-Day International (ODI) of their three-match series on Sunday.
Captain Hayley Matthews stole the show with a stellar display, as she claimed 2-41 with the ball before smashing an unbeaten 104 off 93 balls in a dominant chase.
Hunting 199 at Warner Park in St. Kitts, West Indies, made light work of the target, cruising to 202-1 in just 31.4 overs. Matthews, whose innings featured 16 boundaries, shared a sensational 163-run opening partnership with Qiana Joseph, who dazzled with a 79-ball 70, including six fours and four sixes.
The West Indies openers set the tone early, as they dismantled Bangladesh’s bowling attack with an aggressive yet composed approach. Joseph, in particular, showcased her range with powerful hitting, while Matthews anchored the innings with precision.
Though Joseph fell to Rabeya Khan in the 26th over, the damage was already done. Shemaine Campbelle joined Matthews and added an unbeaten 14 to steer West Indies comfortably across the finish line without further loss.
Earlier, Matthews and her bowlers laid the groundwork for the victory by restricting Bangladesh to 198-9. Deandra Dottin led the charge with figures of 3-40, while Matthews and Aaliyah Alleyne contributed with two wickets apiece.
Bangladesh, sent in to bat, struggled to build momentum. Openers Fargana Hoque Pinky (10) and Murshida Khatun (40) fell to Dottin and Matthews, respectively, leaving the visitors at 69-2. Khatun’s 53-ball knock featured five boundaries.
Sharmin Akter (42) and captain Nigar Sultana Joty (14) tried to stabilize the innings with a 46-run third-wicket partnership, but their dismissals at 123-4 shifted the momentum firmly in West Indies’ favour.
Sobhana Mostary (35) and Shorna Akter (29) offered resistance with a 54-run fifth-wicket stand, briefly reviving Bangladesh’s hopes of a competitive total. However, both fell within one ball of each other, and that triggered a collapse that saw the final four wickets tumble for just 20 runs.
The victory puts West Indies in a commanding position heading into the second contest on Tuesday, where they will hope to replicate this performance to clinch the series with a game to spare.