WPL 2023 | Hayley Matthews - A Complete Package For MI


image-ley0ionhWPL 2023: Hayley Matthews scored an unbeaten 77 vs RCB [wplt20.com]

One of the most devastating hitters in women's cricket, West Indies' Hayley Matthews is currently providing her services to Mumbai Indians in the inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023. Matthews, displayed absolute carnage last evening when she smacked Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bowlers all over the park in Brabourne, scoring an unbeaten 77 and taking her side to a comfortable win.

She also nabbed the prized wicket of an in-form Smriti Mandhana, apart from Richa Ghosh and Heather Knight.

Funnily, she could have missed the WPL bus altogether, after remaining unsold in the auction, where she was picked in the accelerated round and grabbed by MI at a base price of INR 40 lakhs. 

The 24-year-old is known for all-round skills, providing breakthroughs with the ball as well at crucial junctures. In 75 ODIs and 82 T20Is for the Windies, the current skipper has scored 3,496 runs and claimed 167 wickets, combined.

Apart from batting and bowling, she is also a gun-fielder, known as a track-and-field athlete during her childhood. 

Testament to her bowling abilities, Matthews was the leading wicket-taker in her T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka back in 2015.

Her exploits saw her feature for the Melbourne Renegades in the first-ever Women's Big Bash League. Her standout performance came in the second edition, where she scored 185 runs and picked up 20 wickets.

Her brute hitting was at full glory during the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2016 against Australia, where she shredded an experienced bowling line-up to help West Indies lift their maiden T20 title. 

She has since become a household name in franchise cricket, playing for teams like the Barbados Royals, Welsh Fire, Velocity, and Trailblazers. A fierce competitor, Matthews led the Royals to their maiden The 6ixty title, where she was named the player of the series.

With other more-famed all-rounders going for big money in the auction, MI could have pulled off the greatest heist in a long, long time, acquiring Matthews cheaply, who could very well become a vital cog in years to come.