Matthews wins fourth ICC Player of the Month title

Hayley Matthews copped yet another award in her already glittering career when she took home the ICC’s Women’s Player of the Month award for June.

The 27-year-old West Indies captain won the award for the fourth time, ahead of her teammate Afy Fletcher and South African opening batter Tazmin Brits, on the basis of her strong showing in the recently concluded ODI and T20I series against South Africa in Barbados.

She is now tied with Australia’s Ash Gardner for the most ICC Women’s Player of the Month honours.

“It’s an honour to receive the Player of the Month award again. I’ve been pleased with my form recently, but more importantly, it’s been great to contribute to the team’s success — especially in a hard-fought T20I series against South Africa,” Matthews said upon hearing she had won the award.

“Recognition like this is appreciated, but my focus remains on what’s ahead. There’s a lot more I want to achieve, both personally and with this team. We’re heading in the right direction, and I’m excited about where we can go from here.”

Matthews starred with the bat to lead West Indies Women to a 2-1 T20I series against the Proteas last month, their first T20I series win over South Africa Women in 12 years.

In the ODI series she scored 104 runs at an average of 34.66 and took four wickets.

Matthews was even more proficient in the T20I series, scoring 147 runs at an average of 73.50 and a strike rate of 120.49, while also picking up two wickets.
(CMC)