Hayley Matthews Named ICC Women’s Player of the Month

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been named the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Player of the Month for July, marking the fifth time in her distinguished career that she has claimed the prestigious individual accolade. The West Indian all-rounder secured the award ahead of fellow nominees Nat Sciver-Brunt of England and Harshitha Samarawickrama of Sri Lanka, following an outstanding month of international cricket.

Reflecting on her achievement, Ms Matthews expressed her gratitude and reinforced her ambition to maintain high standards for her national team. She noted that securing the award again holds profound personal significance and serves as motivation to further elevate her game, contribute to West Indies’ success, and pursue further accolades. The Caribbean skipper also highlighted the rapid growth of the women’s game globally, expressing pride in playing a role in its development while thanking the ICC for its ongoing support and visibility for women’s cricket.

Ms Matthews earned the recognition following an exceptional individual display during the West Indies tour of Ireland in July. She spearheaded a commanding 3-0 One Day International (ODI) series sweep, accumulating 265 runs across three matches at an average of 132.50 and a strike rate of 117.25. In addition to her batting dominance, she proved crucial with the ball, taking seven wickets at an average of 17.57 over the course of the series.

Her tour began with a dominant all-round performance in the opening match. After claiming figures of 3-52 in the first innings, she produced a brilliant unbeaten 159 during the run chase, establishing a record-breaking partnership with teammate Realeanna Grimmond.

She sustained her form into the second ODI by recording a second consecutive century, scoring 100 runs with the bat while taking 2-34 with the ball to anchor another victory. Though restricted to six runs in the final fixture of the series, Ms Matthews remained effective with her off-spin, taking 2-37 to round off a dominant individual campaign.

The award underscores Ms Matthews’ ongoing status as one of international cricket’s premier all-rounders. With major international tournaments and bilateral series on the calendar, her consistent form remains vital for the West Indies as they seek to build momentum on the global stage.