West Indies ki mahila cricket team ke liye ek bura sapna sach hota dikh raha hai. Unki kaptaan aur star all-rounder Hayley Matthews teesre aur antim ODI match mein England ke khilaaf nahi khel payengi. Yeh chot unke baye kandhe mein pehle ODI ke dauraan lagi thi, jab woh Derby mein fielding kar rahi thi. Ab, London mein ek specialist se salah lene ke baad, yeh confirm ho gaya hai ki woh teesre match ke liye available nahi hongi. Yeh West Indies ke liye ek bada jhatka hai, kyunki Matthews na sirf unki kaptaan hain, balki team ki sabse badi match-winner bhi hain.
Matthews ka absence team ke liye ek badi chunauti hai, kyunki unhone is tour par shandaar pradarshan kiya tha. T20I series mein unhone teen matchon mein 177 run banaye aur teen wicket bhi liye. Pehle ODI mein bhi unhone 48 run banaye aur do wicket liye, jisse unki ICC Women’s Player of the Month ke liye nomination bhi hui. Yeh yaad dilata hai 2016 ke T20 World Cup ka, jab West Indies ki purush team ne Carlos Brathwaite ke aakhri over mein chaar chhakko ke saath England ko hara diya tha. Us jeet mein bhi ek all-rounder ka damdaar pradarshan tha, aur Matthews isi tarah ki bhumika nibha rahi thi is tour par.
Lekin ab team ke liye kuch naye mauke bhi khul rahe hain. Matthews ke na hone ke bawajood, doosre ODI mein 20 saal ki Realeanna Grimmond ne apne debut par shandaar pradarshan kiya. Unhone 72 ball mein 53 run banaye aur do shandaar catch bhi liye. Yeh thodi si ummeed jagata hai, jaise 2007 ke World Cup mein Shivnarine Chanderpaul ne apne akela dam par West Indies ko sambhala tha. Grimmond ke saath-saath, Shemaine Campbelle ne bhi doosre ODI mein kaptaani ki aur team ko naye josh ke saath aage badhaya. Stafanie Taylor, jo chot se wapas aayi hain, bhi apna tajurba team ko de sakti hain. Yeh naye khiladiyon ke liye ek mauka hai apne aap ko sabit karne ka, aur shayad West Indies ke liye ek nayi shuruaat.
Phir bhi, yeh baat dil ko chubhti hai ki West Indies is tour par ek bhi match nahi jeet saki. England ne T20I series 3-0 se aur ODI series ke pehle do match bade margin se jeete—pehle 108 run se aur doosre mein 143 run se. Taunton mein teesra ODI West Indies ke liye sirf ek formal match reh gaya hai, kyunki series pehle hi haath se nikal chuki hai. Matthews ke bina, team ka morale aur bhi kamzor ho sakta hai, aur yeh tour unke liye ek bhoolne wala safar ban sakta hai, jaise 1999 World Cup mein West Indies ki team ke liye tha, jab woh apni hi galtiyon ke wajah se struggle karti rahi.
