Afy Fletcher, the 39-year-old West Indian leg-spinner, etched her name into the history books on 27 September 2026 by becoming the eighth West Indian woman and the first leg-spinner from her country to make her 100th ODI appearance.
The milestone came during the second ODI against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club, where Fletcher returned figures of 8.5-1-37-2 in the second innings, claiming the wickets of Beloved Biza (14 off 21) and Chiedza Dhururu (2 off 6). Despite her efforts, <a href="https://cricket.international/nyasha-gwanzuras-4-fer-sets-up-zimbabwe-womens-historic-win-over-west-indies/" title="Nyasha Gwanzura's 4-Fer Sets Up Zimbabwe Women's Historic Win Over West Indies“>West Indies lost by four wickets, levelling the three-match series at 1-1 and setting up a decider on 30 September.
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews won the toss and elected to bat first, but the innings never gained momentum as the visitors were bundled out for 139 in 39.3 overs. Fletcher contributed a brisk 15 off 15 balls at number nine, including a couple of boundaries, but it was not enough to lift the total. In response, Zimbabwe chased down the target with four wickets in hand, thanks to a composed effort that kept them ahead of the required rate through the middle overs. Fletcher’s two wickets in the second innings were crucial in slowing Zimbabwe’s charge, but the hosts held their nerve to square the series.
Afy Fletcher’s journey to this milestone began on 29 June 2008, when she made her ODI debut against Ireland in Dublin. Since then, she has been a mainstay of the West Indies attack, picking up 131 wickets at an average of 24.14 and an economy of 4.33 across 92 innings in 100 matches, placing her as the 4th-highest wicket-taker for her side in the format so far.
Her spell of 4 four-wicket hauls underlines her ability to deliver match-turning performances, with her best figures of 4 for 20 coming against Thailand on 19 April 2025 at Lahore during the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier. In that match, she dismissed wicketkeeper-batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai (14 off 35), captain Naruemol Chaiwai (1 off 9), Phannita Maya (1 off 9), and Thipatcha Putthawong (2 off 7) in a 10-1-20-4 spell that helped West Indies to a six-wicket win.
Her longevity and craft have made her one of the most respected bowlers in the West Indies setup, particularly as a leg-spinner in a format where finger spin often dominates. Reaching 100 ODIs as the first West Indian woman leg-spinner to do so adds a unique distinction to her already impressive resume.
The ongoing white-ball bilateral series sees Zimbabwe, led by Josephine Nkomo, hosting Hayley Matthews’ West Indies from 24 September to 7 October 2026, comprising three ODIs followed by three T20Is. West Indies won the first ODI by 99 runs before Zimbabwe hit back to win the second by four wickets, levelling the series. In the two matches so far, Fletcher is the joint second-highest wicket-taker for West Indies alongside Ashmini Munisar, and joint-highest for the series alongside Francisca Chipare, with four wickets at an average of 17.00 and an economy of 4.29.
All eyes now turn to the third and final ODI on 30 September 2026 at Harare Sports Club, beginning at 1 PM IST, where Fletcher will look to add another chapter to her landmark tour. With the series poised at 1-1, her experience and guile could prove decisive in a contest that will define the outcome of the ODI series.
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Source: femalecricket.com
