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Matthews treating 2026 as clean slate for Windies ahead of Sri Lanka series

Wed, Feb 18, '26 at 10:04 AM

WI captain speaks of inspiring teammates and making the Caribbean tough for opposition


Following an eight-month-long period of inactivity, the West Indies will return to action on Friday in the first of three Women’s One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against Sri Lanka in Grenada. 


The series will be the Caribbean side’s third since failing to qualify for the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup, after suffering 3-0 and 2-1 losses to England and South Africa, respectively. And captain Hayley Matthews wants Windies to apply a ‘clean slate’ outlook against what she deems “really good opposition.” 


“It's a new year and a fresh start to the year, [so] we want to go out there with vibes high and energy high from the very first match,” Matthews said.


The 27-year-old has once again echoed the sentiments of head coach Shane Deitz in not only wanting to win but also embracing the style of cricket associated with the Caribbean. 


“We feel as though if we play the right brand of cricket and we play with the right energy and the right passion, the results will certainly follow,” she said.

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