West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has earned a spot on the shortlist for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for April 2025. A key figure in the West Indies’ efforts to secure World Cup qualification, Matthews was a standout performer throughout the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Pakistan, showcasing exceptional skill with both bat and ball.

The swashbuckling opening batter played an instrumental role in giving the Caribbean side aggressive starts, amassing 240 runs in total at an impressive strike rate of 116.50. Her remarkable form at the crease translated to an average of 60, with several high-impact innings that set the tone for the team.

As a bowler, she proved just as crucial, closing out the tournament with the most wickets – 13 at an average of just 15.84.

One of Matthews’ most inspiring performances came in the opening game against Scotland, where she claimed four wickets, leading the charge with the ball. She followed this up with a sensational century, further highlighting her all-around capabilities. Her efforts continued in the final game against Thailand, where the Windies were required to chase 167 runs in just 10.1 overs to stay alive in the qualifiers. Matthews came out all guns blazing, blasting a rapid 70 off 29 balls.

However, despite her heroics, West Indies fell agonizingly short of qualification, missing out by the slimmest of margins – a net run rate difference of just 0.01.

Joining Matthews on the shortlist are two other standout captains from the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers – Kathryn Bryce of Scotland and Fatima Sana of Pakistan.