India, Sept. 22 -- For Hayley Matthews, the past few weeks have been about lingering heartbreak. The West Indies captain is sitting out the ongoing Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) with a shoulder injury that will require surgery. For a player who has rarely spent time away from the field in more than a decade, the break feels both strange and perhaps, a blessing in disguise.

"It's a bit disappointing not being able to play," Matthews told HT in an interaction facilitated by FanCode. "I would have loved to be a part of the CPL, especially with the (Barbados) Royals winning the last two years, having an opportunity to go out a third year. But the shoulder has been niggling, and I do have to take care of it. I head for surgery this ...