West Indies’ run at the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup came to an end at the semi-final stage on Tuesday, as defending champion Australia secured an emphatic eight-wicket victory over the Caribbean side at London’s iconic Oval ground.
West Indies won the coin toss and opted to bat first, getting off to a blistering start in the mandatory opening Powerplay. By the end of the six overs, the side sat comfortably at 35 runs for no loss, with skipper Hayley Matthews cruising on 28 not out and opening partner Quianna Joseph yet to be dismissed on six. The tone of the innings shifted dramatically in the first ball of the ninth over, however, when Matthews was sent back to the pavilion for a 28-ball 30.
What followed was a dramatic collapse for the Caribbean outfit: from 47 for one after Matthews’ dismissal, West Indies slumped to 83 for six by the 16th over, reawakening long-standing concerns over the team’s inconsistent middle-order batting. Among the underperforming batters, Joseph managed only 16 runs after her strong start, Chinelle Henry added just 10, and established stars Stefanie Taylor and Jahzara Claxton both recorded ducks.
The game took an alarming turn before the first ball was even bowled, when veteran all-rounder Deandra Dottin suffered an unexpected medical issue immediately following the national anthem, requiring assistance from teammates to be carried off the field. After receiving extensive on-site medical care, Dottin returned to the dugout by the end of the 14th over, and was able to step out to bat at number eight when West Indies lost their sixth wicket. In a display of remarkable toughness, Dottin hit an unbeaten 26 runs off just 16 deliveries, anchoring a late lower-order recovery that lifted West Indies to a final total of 125 for seven off their full 20 overs. Shemaine Campbelle contributed 22 runs to the final total, while Jannillea Glasgow remained unbeaten on 13 at the other end.
For Australia, the bowling attack was evenly spread, with Sophie Molineux, Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham each claiming two wickets apiece to dismantle the West Indies batting line-up.
Chasing a modest target of 126 for a place in the final, Australia dominated the chase from the outset. The Southern Stars reached the required total in just 13 overs, finishing at 127 for two to seal the win. Opener Beth Mooney led the charge with an unbeaten 61 runs off 36 balls, while all-rounder Gardner – named Player of the Match for her contributions with both ball and bat – hit 35 runs off 20 deliveries. Hayley Matthews and Karishma Ramharack took one wicket each for West Indies, but could not slow Australia’s momentum.
The result books Australia a spot in an eighth consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup final, extending their unprecedented streak of dominance in the tournament’s modern era.
In post-match comments, Matthews reflected on West Indies’ campaign, acknowledging the side never found their top form throughout the knockout stage. The Caribbean team won their opening three group-stage matches before dropping their final three group games to scrape into the semi-finals. The captain added that Dottin’s pre-match medical incident was deeply unsettling for the entire squad.
“To see her almost passing out during the national anthems was a bit scary. But yeah, she was able to come back and also play like that – it speaks volumes to her character,” Matthews said. The skipper explained that the last-minute uncertainty over Dottin’s availability disrupted the team’s batting strategy: “We wanted to put Australia under pressure early, but we weren’t sure if she would be able to bat, so we had to adjust our plan to take the innings deep. It was a difficult situation to navigate.”
Despite the semi-final exit, Matthews said the squad could leave the tournament with pride. “To get to the semi-finals when we didn’t have any super standout individual performances shows we all chipped in as a team. We have a lot more players stepping up into key roles, and this experience will only make us better going forward,” she added.