From The New Indian Express

KOLKATA: Having clinched their maiden World T20 title, West Indies skipper Stafanie Taylor on Sunday said the historic triumph should act as a stepping stone for the development of the women’s game in the Caribbean. “We have to move on from here, not just enjoy. We don’t want to get stuck here. We definitely need some infrastructure like in Australia and England,” Stafanie said at the post-match press conference after West Indies beat triple defending champions Australia by eight wickets in the final.

“When these core players go, it will deteriorate. We need to start building. We need consistency to compete against teams like England and Australia,” she added.

Stafanie, who hit a 57-ball 59 on Sunday, said the mindset of batting through the game instead of thinking about England’s total helped her side win. “It’s funny that we never discussed the total. We just wanted to bat through; it was good to keep wickets in hand. We could do that, stay there and bat through,” she remarked.

Stafanie also said that she and her teammates were still feeling ‘unreal’ about winning the title. “I don’t think it has sunk in yet. When we wake up in the morning, it’s going to be like, ‘Is it for real?’. When we reach back home and a lot of people with cameras surround us, that’s when it’s going to hit us, I think,” she said.

Eighteen-year-old Hayley Matthews was the star of the West Indies run chase with a match-winning 66 from 45 balls, and was also adjudged Player of the Tournament. Stafanie credited her stint in the Women’s Big Bash in Australia for her show.

“It actually helped us. It was good for Hayley to get exposure and build on that. She’s matured already.” Stafanie added that they enjoyed full support from the men’s team.

Brief scores: Australia 148/5 in 20 ovs (Meg Lanning 52, Elyse Vilani 52; Deandra Dottin 2-33) lost to West Indies 149/2 in 19.3 ovs (Hayley Matthews 66, Stafanie Taylor 59; Kristen Beams 1-27).

For more on this story go to: http://www.newindianexpress.com/cricket/news/Caribbean-Women-Clinch-Their-Maiden-World-T20-Title-in-India/2016/04/04/article3361767.ece

See also iNews Cayman related story published April 3 2016 “West Indies (161/6) beat England (155/9) by four wickets” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/west-indies-1616-beat-england-1559-by-four-wickets/

IMAGE: http://www.firstpost.com/sports/title-will-act-as-stepping-stone-for-development-of-womens-cricket-in-west-indies-womens-skipper-stafanie-taylor-hopes-for-brighter-future-2710902.html