“I want to be a match-winner” - Matthew Forde's rapid start puts him firmly in line among West Indies' next gen of stars [Exclusive]

Barbados. A land that boasts of a proud cricketing history. From the three Ws, Sir Garfield Sobers, the dashing duo of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, all the way up to the modern-day stars: Jason Holder, Kraigg Brathwaite, Carlos Brathwaite, and Shai Hope. It's a country that keeps giving to the sport.

Naturally, any young kid drawn towards sport in the island is likely to be attracted towards cricket. It was no different for a promising young all-rounder whose surname can be mistaken for that of a famous automobile brand. But few would argue that Matthew Forde is just as efficient.

A smooth action is just the first trait - accuracy, movement, and extra bounce owing to his height define a useful bowler who is tipped to be a huge part of West Indies cricket in time to come. Couple that with powerful ball-striking capabilities and there's a handy bowling all-rounder in front of you.

It's not just his date of birth that Forde shares with Andre Russell, but he plays a similar role in terms of finishing an innings and bowling some difficult overs - even if it is more towards the start of the innings as opposed to the back end.

Forde's talent has been duly recognized by leagues around the globe with a gig in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) coming well before his international debut, followed by stints in the Bangladesh Premier League and the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

When he did get his cap for the West Indies, he made it a memorable one with figures of 3/29 that ripped England's top-order apart in a series decider in December 2023. The best part? He did it at the Kensington Oval at home in the presence of his family and walked away as the Player of the Match.

From then on, there's been no looking back with a T20I debut coming shortly after. Forde has played a total of nine international matches but the 22-year old seems primed to add to those in due course of time. The latest feather in his cap of illustrious achievements comes in the form of glory in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024 with the St. Lucia Kings, having delivered an important spell of 1/11 off three overs in the final against the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

It's been merely hours since Forde basked in the glory of his CPL triumph but he will soon embark on a tour of Sri Lanka for the ODI leg. For someone whose first love was always cricket though, he's bound to be geared up to leave his mark on that assignment.

Sportskeeda caught up with Forde on the sidelines of his CPL stint with the Kings, who he stated were zoned in and focused on winning the trophy for the first time. That box has been ticked off now but Forde also dived into his journey, where it all started, his memorable ODI debut and rubbing shoulders with Russell.

---

Excerpts from Matthew Forde's exclusive chat with Sportskeeda

Q. I have to start with your ODI debut against England. Player of the Match on your home ground with your parents watching - it was the stuff of dreams, wasn’t it?

Matthew Forde: Obviously it’s every young cricketer’s dream to play for the West Indies and to do it in front of your home crowd, in front of your parents, family and friends. To get the Man of the Match is a plus for me but the greatest thing for me is playing for West Indies and performing on a consistent basis.

Q. Your talent has been recognized already by franchises around the world - to what extent has that enhanced your development as a player?

Matthew Forde: I think the more cricket you play, the longer you are on the park, the more experienced you get. Playing franchise leagues around the world is a plus for me in terms of when we go along there, be it a subcontinental series or different series around the world. You have that experience and exposure ready and you could have other guys relay information.

Q. You are a strike weapon with the new ball. How do you center your plans catering to different conditions and opposition, as well as bowling with the old and new ball?

Matthew Forde: I like to do a lot of homework and analysis on my phone. Along with working on my game it’s been a lot about watching videos whether from analysts or from YouTube, always trying to learn something new and always trying to pick up something. So yeah, I’m always trying to get better.

Q. You can strike the ball a long way with the bat. While bowling seems to be your primary skill, how much do you love your batting?

Matthew Forde: I’ve done quite a bit of work on my batting as well. For me it’s just about transferring it into the game and be that sort of all-rounder that helps West Indies and other franchises whether it be striking the ball…whatever the place be, I want to be a match-winner.

Q. You share your date of birth with a certain Andre Russell. How big of an inspiration has he been considering you have a similar player profile?

Matthew Forde: Obviously Andre’s a great guy. He’s great to have a conversation with. He’s a legend of the T20 game and he’s very accomplished at what he does so those are very big boots to fill but I’d love to follow his footsteps and keep adding to my game.

Q. Anything specific that Russell’s told you that you often follow?

Matthew Forde: I remember we played the Bangladesh Premier League together. He picked up my bat and said ‘Fordey, these are your bats? No you can’t be a power-hitter if these are your bats.’ And he actually gave me a bat and told me I needed to bat with probably two or three rubbers (rubber grips) because I used to bat with only one rubber (grip). I’ve done that so far and it’s been working for me.

Q. What’s your earliest memory of picking up a cricket bat or ball? And when did it strike you that this is the way forward in life?

Matthew Forde: As far as I can remember, I always had a bat and ball but I don’t think I was the best at a young age. It was only when I got to about 15 or 16 when I got to work hard and really tried to cement my game and become established as a player. It did happen late for me but I’m happy that it did.

I remember I was never a person that liked school. I was good in school but I knew I never could have done an office job, I never could just sit in an air-conditioned hall. For me, it was about being active because I’m a more active person. I always loved cricket. Cricket was always my first love and I’d rather be involved in that.

Q. How did your foray into professional cricket begin?

Matthew Forde: I used to go to summer camp every summer as a child. I had a coach called Mr. King - he passed away now. Everyone in Barbados knows him as Adrian King. He was the one who really got me into cricket. But the one who really developed my cricket was Mr. Roddy Estwick, the coach of the Barbados Royals now. He saw my talent and pushed me to become the person I am today so I’ve got to thank him for that.

Q. What is Matthew Forde like off the field? Is he a full-time cricket nuffy who is always working on something or does he like to have his time away from the sport doing something else?

Matthew Forde: As I said earlier, I’m a more active person. Away from cricket, I’m big on swimming. I love to swim so the beach is a big plus for me. I try to go to the beach every day. If I’m not at the beach I’d probably be playing PS5 (PlayStation) with the boys, play cards. I’m usually always doing something with my teammates.

Q. How big a role have the St. Lucia Kings played in accelerating your growth as an all-round cricketer?

Matthew Forde: Obviously I’d played for West Indies U19. I had never played for my country so St. Lucia Kings coming in (was massive). And a big part in that was Daren Sammy who gave me my first opportunity for the Kings and also for the West Indies. This is a wonderful franchise - it’s second to none. And I’ve really got to thank Daren and the guys at the St. Lucia Kings for making me at home in this franchise.