Barbados are placed in Group A along with Pakistan, India and Australia and to have any chance of progressing to the semi-finals, they will have to beat tournament favorites Australia or India, the runners-up in the last T20 World Cup in 2020.
“It is going to be a challenging tournament for us, but we are welcoming it with open arms,” said Mathews, 24-year-old captain of West Indies.
“Once we go out there and execute what we know, we have a chance to beat the big teams.” Mathews has been playing international cricket since the age of 16, but representing Barbados on the global stage will be a new experience.
Usually a combined West Indies team competes in international cricket, but the Caribbean islands are represented separately in the Games, so Barbados was chosen to compete after finishing as champions in the 2019 Caribbean domestic T20 tournament. went.
“It’s a little different for sure, but we’re an agile group… We’ve been playing together regionally for a few years as a Barbados team, and all the girls get along well.” Hayley, who was recently promoted to the role of West Indies captain, will have a chance to lead in an official international for the first time.
Asked about the key to success against cricketing legends, she said: “Every time we step on the field, I encourage us to enjoy it as much as possible.”
“That’s when so many of us are at our best — when everyone knows they have the freedom to go out and express themselves.” The ICC has given international status to all matches, ensuring that at least four players from Barbados will receive the cap for the first time in their opening match against Pakistan on Friday.
“A lot of them are going to be excited to face the players they’ve seen, players who are role models for them,” he said.
Women’s cricket is included in the sport for the first time and will make its debut in the T20I format after the appearance of men’s cricket in the 1998 Kuala Lumpur edition which was attended by the great players like Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh.
Hayley Matthews and her teammates are benefiting from the expertise of assistant coach Ryan Hinds, who made her Barbados debut at the age of 17 in Kuala Lumpur.