The West Indies Women’s cricket team has wrapped up a compelling 2-1 ODI series triumph over Zimbabwe, delivering a commanding 91-run victory in the series-deciding third match in Harare on Wednesday. The result was anchored by a masterful second century of the tour from skipper Hayley Matthews, who put in a career-defining performance to carry her side across the finish line.
After Zimbabwe won the pre-match coin toss and opted to put West Indies in to bat first, the Caribbean side built a formidable, match-winning total of 271 for five from their full 50-over allocation. Leading from the front, Matthews notched her 14th career One Day International century, finishing with a blistering 118 runs off just 113 deliveries. Her innings was punctuated by 18 fours and one six, marking the second consecutive century she recorded across the three-match series. She received valuable support from Shemaine Campbelle, who fell just one run short of a century herself, closing out her knock at 96 runs off 119 balls decorated with 13 fours. For the host nation, bowler Nomvelo Sibanda claimed two wickets for 42 runs, while fellow seamer Beloved Biza secured two wickets for 46 runs to cap Zimbabwe’s bowling effort.
By the end of the innings, Matthews’ outstanding form across the series pushed her total run tally to an unprecedented 326, finishing with an average of 108.66. Her dominant performance earned her both the Player-of-the-Match and Player-of-the-Series honors, cementing her status as the standout player of the tour.
Set a challenging target of 272 for victory, Zimbabwe’s batting lineup struggled to find consistent rhythm early on. The hosts stumbled to 9 runs for 2 wickets by the third over, slid further to 31 for 3 in the ninth over, and slipped to 85 for 5 by the 25th over. A late recovery led by captain Josephine Nkomo, who finished with an unbeaten 74 runs off 109 balls including five fours and one six, pushed Zimbabwe to a total of 180 all out in the 48th over. But the effort was not enough to overcome the target set by West Indies.
A disciplined, coordinated bowling attack from the Caribbean side dismantled Zimbabwe’s batting order. Spinner Ashmini Munisar finished with figures of two wickets for 32 runs, seamer Jannillea Glasgow took two wickets for 37 runs, and all-rounder Aaliyah Alleyne claimed two wickets for 39 runs. Across the entire series, Alleyne picked up seven total wickets, while Munisar followed closely behind with six wickets, making them the most effective bowling pair for the visitors.
Looking ahead, the two sides will turn their focus to the shorter format of the game, with a three-match T20I series scheduled to kick off at the same Harare venue this coming Saturday.