West Indies captain Hayley Matthews etched her name into the record books on Thursday, compiling a blistering 182 against Zimbabwe in the first One Day International at Harare Sports Club.
Her 156-ball innings stands as the highest individual score by a West Indies batter in Women’s One Day International history, surpassing the previous record of 171 set by Stafanie Taylor against Sri Lanka at the 2013 World Cup in Mumbai.
Hayley Matthews Creates Women’s ODI History For Windies
| Rank | Player | Runs | Balls | 4s / 6s | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| 1 | Hayley Matthews | 182 | 156 | 26 / 2 | Zimbabwe | Harare | 2026 |
| 2 | Stafanie Taylor | 171 | 137 | 18 / 2 | Sri Lanka | Mumbai | 2013 |
| 3 | Hayley Matthews | 159* | 123 | 19 / 1 | Ireland | Bready | 2026 |
| 4 | Deandra Dottin | 150* | 158 | 18 / 4 | South Africa | Johannesburg | 2022 |
| 5 | Hayley Matthews | 141 | 149 | 15 / 1 | Pakistan | Karachi | 2024 |
Masterclass in Harare: How the Innings Unfolded
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the West Indies skipper took charge from the outset, combining classical strokeplay through the off-side with aggressive boundary-clearing down the ground. Matthews struck 26 boundaries and cleared the ropes twice during her 156-ball stay, operating at a strike rate of 116.67.
Matthews anchored the innings through a dominant 128-run second-wicket partnership with Realeanna Grimmond (53 off 70 balls) before accelerating heavily during the death overs. Her onslaught powered West Indies to a formidable first-innings total of 299 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs.
Milestones and Historical Significance
Beyond eclipsing Taylor’s 13-year-old national record, Matthews’ 182 is also the highest individual score recorded in a Women’s ODI on Zimbabwean soil.
The Barbadian all-rounder has been in the form of her career over the past two seasons, having struck three ODI centuries in 2024 and an unbeaten 159 against Ireland earlier this year. At 28, she now sits behind only Meg Lanning (15) and Suzie Bates (13) on the all-time centuries leaderboard in women’s 50-over cricket, consolidating her standing as one of the modern game’s premier batters.