Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 – Qiana Joseph pummels England as West Indies find a new matchwinner

West Indies wanted to chase down 142 to qualify for the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the primary time since 2018 – a goal Matthew later mentioned she’d have „bitten your hand off“ for at the beginning of the sport.

It seems Joseph was merely within the temper.

„After we went into the altering room at halftime, I checked out her and I mentioned: ‚What’s mistaken? You seem like you are upset.‘ She mentioned: ‚I am simply prepared.‘

„She’s all the time up for it, man. And it is nice to have characters like that throughout the dressing room, particularly as a West Indies workforce who’re most likely all the time underdogs. We want fighters throughout the workforce and she or he’s an awesome instance of that.“

Joseph did not simply combat. She pummelled England into submission.

England, who had crushed West Indies of their 13 earlier video games relationship again to 2018, had come into the match tipped as finalists with their huge sources and unbeaten file within the group phases.

Already the 23-year-old Joseph had proven her versatility, opening the batting within the first recreation – a 10-wicket loss to South Africa – earlier than dropping under Taylor to No. 3 as West Indies sailed previous Scotland. She dropped right into a floating function subsequent, listed at No. 6 towards Bangladesh however not required as West Indies gained by eight wickets.

After we have a look at people inside this workforce, so many occasions we’d hear solely ‚Deandra or Hayley or Staf will put in performances‘, however one factor we are able to say we have began to see this 12 months is others actually stepping up

Hayley Matthews

In opposition to England, Joseph blasted her approach to a career-best 52 off simply 38 balls with six fours and two sixes as she and Matthews took West Indies to the very best powerplay of the match to date at 67 with out loss.

It wasn’t till halfway via the innings that the duo discovered they wanted to succeed in the goal in 19 overs to complete forward of South Africa on the high of Group B on internet run fee. West Indies acquired the job finished on the final ball of the 18th, Aaliyah Alleyne piercing the covers to search out the boundary off Sophie Ecclestone and shut an innings constructed by Joseph and Matthews.

The duo shared a 102-run stand off simply 74 balls with Matthews, who performed her greatest innings to date with 50 off 38 – her first half-century towards England – after scores of 10, 8 and 34.

It was Matthews who took management to start with, smashing 14 runs off Lauren Bell, probably the most runs conceded within the first over of a match at this World Cup.

Like her captain, Joseph was off the mark with a boundary, two in three balls from Nat Sciver-Brunt, no much less. She then ripped into England’s spinners, powering Charlie Dean over midwicket for six then hanging back-to-back fours off Ecclestone behind and over sq. leg.

Joseph rode her luck as nicely, barely clearing fielders a few occasions then put down by Sophia Dunkley on 6, Alice Capsey on 31 the 3 times by Maia Bouchier. She reached her maiden fifty off simply 34 balls, the quickest towards England on the T20 World Cup.

Hayley Matthews produced greatest innings of the match at a significant time•ICC/Getty Photos

Joseph was a part of West Indies‘ T20 World Cup squad in 2018 as a 17-year-old, largely as a left-arm spinner, however her ball-striking has improved markedly in current occasions, prompting her transfer up the order.

Earlier this 12 months, she performed largely as an opener in an away collection towards Pakistan, which West Indies gained 4-1, and was used as a pinch-hitter in a 2-1 collection win in Sri Lanka.

Regardless of these outcomes, West Indies hadn’t been anticipated to take action nicely right here, probably due to a well-documented lack of sources in comparison with the likes of India and England, each of whom are actually out of the reckoning.

„I feel lots of people wrote us off coming into this match,“ Matthews mentioned. „The way in which we have been in a position to go about our cricket, particularly after the beginning we had towards South Africa, we have simply bounced again towards Scotland, towards Bangladesh.

„We’ve not beat England in about six years. So far as I can keep in mind, the final time we beat them was again in 2018, however everybody nonetheless got here right here with a perception and a combat and it simply reveals what we are able to do as a West Indian workforce. Lots of people developing towards us know that if it is one factor we have got, it is lots of coronary heart and lots of combat and we confirmed that right this moment.“

That mentioned, Dottin was instrumental in setting the tone for the match with some sensible fielding at the beginning of England’s innings and she or he additionally bowled for the primary time within the marketing campaign, taking 1 for 16 in three overs.

‚To be given this chance to come back out, symbolize your nation and making a dwelling out of it, each single individual, it modifications their lives‘•ICC/Getty Photos

„After we have a look at people inside this workforce, so many occasions we’d hear solely ‚Deandra or Hayley or Staf will put in performances‘, however one factor we are able to say we have began to see this 12 months is others actually stepping up,“ Matthew mentioned. „Karishma [Ramharack] with 4 for 17 towards Bangladesh] final recreation, Qiana Joseph this recreation, and it is simply going to make us an increasing number of harmful.“

By topping their group, West Indies keep away from favourites Australia within the semi-finals and can face New Zealand on Friday in Sharjah. Australia play South Africa in Dubai on Thursday. And Matthews was assured the whole Caribbean can be behind her workforce.

„Actually talking, we most likely simply haven’t got it like the remaining lots of the time,“ she mentioned. „Again residence within the Caribbean, generally we do not have services and lots of our women come from very humble beginnings. To be given this chance to come back out, symbolize your nation and making a dwelling out of it, each single individual, it modifications their lives.

„Throughout the West Indies, I feel lots of the islands can all the time be towards one another, however the one factor that does carry the whole West Indies collectively is cricket and the fervour that the individuals have for the sport is huge. It simply brings our entire area collectively as one for the one time most likely.“