West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has spoken candidly about the pain of missing the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup, saying the setback 'hit them hard' and that the squad is determined not to repeat such a disappointment at the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup in England. Writing in her ICC column, Matthews expressed belief that the current group has both the depth and the hunger to challenge for the title — 10 years after their iconic triumph at Eden Gardens.

The Weight of Recent Setbacks

The West Indies have endured a bruising two-year run in ICC events. They fell agonisingly short of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup final, losing a semi-final to New Zealand, before suffering the sharper blow of failing to qualify for the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup altogether.

'Failing to qualify for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup last year hit us hard. Everyone who was there certainly felt it, and we don't want to go through a feeling like that again,' Matthews wrote. The admission is striking in its directness — a captain choosing accountability over deflection.

Why Matthews Believes This Squad is Stronger

Matthews, who was a teenager when West Indies stunned Australia in the 2016 final at Eden Gardens, argues the present side is more complete than that title-winning unit. She singled out Chinelle Henry and other emerging players as evidence of greater squad depth.

'I definitely think that when you look at our team and how players have grown, like Chinelle Henry and some of the other youngsters... I definitely feel that we have a stronger team than we did then,' she said. 'It's about us showing up, having our plans in order and being really prepared. Once we do that, we have a good chance of progressing well.'

Adapting to the Modern T20 Game

The all-rounder also acknowledged the rapidly shifting demands of T20 cricket, revealing she has been consciously working on expanding her batting range ahead of the tournament. 'Being able to adapt a lot quicker is something that I've been trying to work on recently, as well as adding more shots to my game that hopefully I have enough confidence to bring out when the World Cup comes around,' she wrote.

Preparation and England Conditions

West Indies' build-up includes a training camp in England and a tri-series in Ireland featuring Pakistan and Ireland — preparation Matthews believes will be vital for acclimatising to local conditions. 'As a squad, we feel we are familiar with English conditions. The crowds are always really good in those competitions, which leads to a great atmosphere,' she noted.

Underdogs With a Point to Prove

Despite West Indies not being among the pre-tournament favourites, Matthews sees that status as an opportunity rather than a burden — echoing the spirit of 2016. 'It might mean even a bit more in a time like this, where we probably aren't one of the top three or four teams people have pinned to win it. Hopefully, we can prove those people wrong,' she said.

West Indies open their campaign on 13 June against defending champions New Zealand in Southampton. Whether the underdog energy of a decade ago can be rekindled will be one of the tournament's compelling subplots.