The Unstoppable Rise of Hayley Matthews
Not many athletes win a gold medal in javelin, captain boys’ cricket teams by age 11, and go on to lead their country on the world cricket stage—all before turning 25. Hayley Matthews, born in Barbados in 1998, has smashed nearly every barrier in front of her, often ahead of schedule. Her versatility and fearlessness have stood out since her early days, whether she had a bat, a ball, or a javelin in hand.
Growing up, Hayley didn’t wait for women’s leagues or quotas. At just eight, she was bowling and batting alongside boys in under-12 teams, holding her own and turning heads. By 11, she became the first girl to lead a boys’ under-13 team, captaining a side that featured names like Carlos Brathwaite and Shai Hope, who would later carve out international careers of their own. That leadership wasn’t symbolic—she set the tone, backed her decisions, and showed skill beyond her years in pressure games.
But cricket wasn’t her only pursuit. In 2015, at the CARIFTA Games—a showcase for Caribbean athletes—Matthews proved herself in track and field too, grabbing gold in the javelin throw. Despite that achievement, cricket called her louder, and before she turned 17, she was already representing the West Indies senior squad.
Making Her Mark Globally—Bat and Ball
International cricket fans really started paying attention to Hayley during the 2016 Women’s T20 World Cup. Opening the batting in the final, she slammed 66 off 45 balls against defending champions Australia. That innings was the backbone of the West Indies’ historic win, putting women’s cricket in the Caribbean on the map and launching her as a household name back home.
On top of her batting, Matthews bowls sharp right-arm off-spin, making her a complete package—something every team covets. Her stats tell the story: over 3,000 runs in ODIs (with an average north of 34) and nearly 3,000 in T20s, plus 124 ODI wickets and 111 T20 wickets. And she doesn’t just pad numbers—she delivers when matches get tight.
Leadership wasn’t far behind. By 24, she was chosen to lead the West Indies team, entrusted with building a new era for women’s cricket in the region. The responsibility didn’t slow her down. In 2022, she led Barbados in the Commonwealth Games, showing her style on another major stage.
Professional leagues worldwide came knocking, and Matthews did not disappoint. With the Mumbai Indians in the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL), she was everywhere—smashing 271 runs and taking 16 wickets, enough to finish as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker and take home the Purple Cap and Player of the Tournament. She’s also played in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League with Hobart Hurricanes, and in England’s The Hundred for Welsh Fire—always leaving a mark with her batting aggression and clutch bowling.
It’s hard to ignore just how rare it is for an athlete to excel in so many areas. Matthews’ impact goes beyond statistics. She’s shown young girls across the Caribbean—and the world—that you don’t have to pick just one path, and that you can lead, compete, and dominate no matter the arena. The story of Hayley Matthews keeps getting bigger, and she’s nowhere near finished rewriting the record books.