West Indies have failed to qualify for a Women's 50-over World Cup for the first time in 20 years after falling agonizingly short of the required NRR swing to overtake Bangladesh in their blistering chase against Thailand.
Despite chasing the 167-run target set for them by Thailand at a record run rate for women's ODIs (15.50), West Indies narrowly missed out on securing the NRR swing they would need to overhaul Bangladesh in the points table. They chased 167 down in 10.5 overs, but could have boosted their NRR enough if they had just one extra ball to improve their total.
After Pakistan beat Bangladesh today (April 19), West Indies hopes of finishing the tournament in the top two and qualifying for the World Cup later this year were still alive. However, after reducing Thailand to 85-6, they let the innings slide and a half-century from Natthakan Chantham saw Thailand set West Indies 167 to win. In order to reach the required NRR to overtake Bangladesh, they would have to chase that target down in just 10.1 overs.
West Indies come out all guns blazing
With captain Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph sent out to open, they started well in that endeavour, taking 45 runs off the first three overs. Joseph then took four boundaries off the next over, with Matthews taking a further three off the next to bring them up to near the required rate. When Joseph was out for a 12-ball 26, specialist power-hitter Chinelle Henry was promoted up the order to boost the chase.
She hit a six off her third ball at the crease, with Matthews hitting two fours and another maximum in the following over to take the score to 105-2 in the seventh over. However, West Indies' hopes were significantly diminished when Matthews was out for 70 off 29 balls at the end of that over.
Henry continued to cut loose, hitting four more maximums in the next two overs. Those boundaries took the total to 157-3 at the end of the 10.1-over quota they needed to chase the target in. There was hope however. If they could get to 172 runs before the end of the match and the end of the following over, West Indies' NRR would still overtake Bangladesh's.
Stafanie Taylor, who had come in after Shemaine Campbelle had been run out in the previous over, got a single off the first ball to bring Henry on strike. Henry was then out for 48 off 17 balls, bringing Aliyah Allene to the crease. Alleyne hit a four off her first ball and then got a single to bring Taylor back on strike.
With the score now at 162-4, a four and a six from the next two balls would win West Indies the match and give them the required NRR. Crucially though, the four had to come first as a six would end the game.
Taylor, however, perhaps unaware of the equation, smashed a maximum off her next ball, finishing the match but also ending West Indies' hopes of qualification with the side falling agonizingly short.
Bangladesh finished the tournament on six points with an NRR of 0.639, West Indies finished the tournament on six points with an NRR of 0.626, a net run rate difference of 0.013 knocking them out.
The result means West Indies will not play in the World Cup later this year, with Pakistan and Bangladesh the sides joining the six already qualified. It's the first time since 2005 that West Indies will not be at a women's 50-over World Cup.
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