ARNOS VALE, St Vincent (CMC) – West Indies Women Captain Hayley Matthews is buzzing with anticipation ahead of the Twenty20 (T20) series opener against world champions Australia at the iconic Arnos Vale Stadium.

Speaking to the media on the eve of the first match, Matthews expressed her delight at bringing international cricket back to St Vincent, a venue she described as special for the team and its passionate supporters.

“Yeah, well, obviously, pretty happy to be here in the islands and here in St Vincent,” Matthews said. “Somewhere we probably haven’t been for quite a while, so it’s gonna be pretty fun to be back out here at such an iconic stadium. We know the Vincy fans are always very passionate about their game and the West Indies team performing well. It will be really good if we could get out there and give them some good performances and a lot to cheer for.”

With one eye firmly on the upcoming T20 World Cup, the West Indies squad is infused with exciting young talent.

When asked about emerging players to watch, Matthews was quick to highlight two rising stars who could make an impact against the mighty Australians.

“Yeah, we got Ebony Brathwaite, who only played one match so far. Made her debut last time out against Sri Lanka. “So, yeah, if she gets a go this time around, it’ll be interesting to see how she goes. Janelle Glasgow is someone who’s probably been around for the last few months now. She certainly showed some great sparks when we played against Sri Lanka again in the last series. So I think those are two people that I’ll definitely be keen to see this time around.”

Facing the number-one-ranked T20 side in the world is a daunting prospect, but Matthews is relishing the challenge. Rather than being overawed by the visitors’ reputation, the skipper is urging her team to focus on their own destructive capabilities.

“I think we gotta focus a lot on our skills and what we can do really well. Obviously, quite a challenging team, and the highest-ranked in the world. But teams have had success against them, and the good thing about T20 cricket is that it only takes one or two match-winners to really go out there and change a game. It’s gonna be really important for us that our big players step up. That’s gonna be key to us having a successful campaign. But we certainly have the players within the group to do so.”

With high expectations from the home faithful, Matthews acknowledged the pressure that comes with leadership but emphasised the importance of enjoyment as a catalyst for the team’s best cricket.

“I guess just go back to my plans, try to execute them really well, and at the same time enjoy myself out there. As a West Indies group and as a team, we probably play the best when we’re out there having fun on the field. So it’s certainly the kind of brand we’re gonna wanna play going forward.”

On a personal note, the all-rounder is thrilled to be back at full strength following a shoulder operation. Having already featured in the WPL and the recent series against Sri Lanka, Matthews is grateful for a smooth recovery.

“Pretty happy with the recovery and how things went in such a short space of time. So pretty thankful to be back out and playing for the team again.”