Matthews sidelined for WBBL season due to shoulder injury

MELBOURNE: Hayley Matthews, the star all-rounder for the West Indies women’s cricket team, will miss the entire Women’s Big Bash League season. She has opted to undergo shoulder surgery, which is a setback for the Melbourne Renegades.

Matthews, a crucial player for the Renegades, recently sustained a shoulder injury while fielding during the first One Day International against England.

The injury caused her to sit out the final two games of that series, but she continued to play through the discomfort in the home series against South Africa.

She also participated in the T20Is and is scheduled to compete in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) for the Barbados Royals in September.

Following her WCPL commitments, Matthews plans to have surgery during the Women’s ODI World Cup, an event the West Indies women’s team did not qualify for.

Consequently, the 27-year-old will be out of action for the rest of 2025, ruling her out of the WBBL.

Renegades General Manager James Rosengarten conveyed his disappointment but lauded Matthews’ contributions to the club.

“We are clearly disappointed Hayley won’t be with us this season. She has been a standout performer and a tremendous leader for the Renegades, and her professionalism has inspired everyone around her. There’s a strong bond between Hayley and the club, and we know she’ll be back with us in the future,” he stated.

Matthews played a significant part in the Renegades securing their first WBBL title last season.

She concluded the season as the team’s top run-scorer with 324 runs at a strike rate of over 130. She also made substantial contributions with the ball, claiming 14 wickets at an economy rate below seven runs per over.

Her match-winning all-round performance in the final against Brisbane Heat, where she scored 69 runs off 61 balls and took 2 wickets for 24 runs, earned her the Player of the Match award.