WI's Matthew Forde shines on international debut: Decoding his profile
West Indies pacer Matthew Forde has announced himself on the international stage with a stellar spell in the third and deciding ODI against England. The right-arm fast bowler breathed fire with the new ball and claimed 3/29 in eight overs. As WI won the rain-curtailed game by four wickets (DLS method), Forde was named the Player of the Match. Here we decode his profile.
A stellar show on international debut
Playing his maiden international match, Forde showed no signs of nervousness as he was nearly unplayable with the new ball. He dismissed Philip Salt (4) in the very first over of the contest. The youngster then got the better of Zak Crawley (0) with a sharp short delivery in the third over. Number-three batter Will Jacks (17) was his final victim.
Who is Matthew Forde?
Forde is a pace-bowling all-rounder who first came into the limelight with his impressive show in the 2020 ICC Under-19 World Cup. The right-arm pacer claimed six wickets across three games at 20.33. He also scored 73 runs at 13.33. Meanwhile, the pacer has raced to 15 wickets in 13 List A games at 25.33. The tally includes 189 runs at 21 (50: 1).
Impressive campaign in CPL 2023
The pacer did well for St. Lucia Kings in the 2023 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), claiming 11 wickets in eight games at 14.90. Overall, he owns 22 wickets in 18 T20 games at an economy of 6.48. He has also clobbered 112 runs in the format (SR: 127.27). The youngster has been selected in WI's squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England.
How did the game pan out?
Batting first, England were reduced to 45/3 thanks to Forde. A spell of rain meant their innings was reduced to 40 overs. While Ben Duckett scored 71, Liam Livingstone scored 45 as England managed 206/9. Another rain interruption meant WI needed 188 in 34 overs. Alick Athanaze (41), Keacy Carty (50), and Romario Shepherd (41) helped WI cross the line in 31.4 overs.
