Matthew Forde isn’t quite a rookie like the other four names in this list, having already broken into West Indies’ T20I side and some franchise leagues, including the Lanka Premier League, Pakistan Super League and Global T20 Canada. A strong all-round performance this season could propel Matthew Forde further into being a more regular member of West Indies’ white-ball sides and even on the radar of the IPL teams.
Matthew Forde shares a birthday with Andre Russell and has modelled his game on the T20 legend. The 22-year-old is rated highly by former West Indies left-arm seamer Pedro Collins, who had originally recommended Matthew Forde’s name to coach Daren Sammy at St Lucia Kings. Collins had coached Matthew Forde for a while and would often give him a lift to and from training. Matthew Forde is also one of the few bowlers in the Caribbean who can genuinely swing the new ball.
Matthew Forde’s cricketing career in short
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), Matthew Forde was named the Player of the Match. Here we decode his profile.
Playing his maiden international match, Matthew 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.
Matthew 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 with 1 fifty plus score to his name.
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.
A young West Indian player revealed how a gifted bat and useful tips from a Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star helped him prosper. He has been a pivotal member of the Knight Riders and played a crucial role in making them champions in 2024. Matthew Forde, the bowling all-rounder of the West Indies, has great things to say about Andre Russell, the superstar of T20 cricket. In a chat with Sportskeeda, Matthew Forde revealed he’d love to follow in the footsteps of Russell.
Rising CPL 2024 star Matthew Forde’s rapid start puts him firmly in line among West Indies’ next gen of stars
Barbados. A land that boasts of a proud cricketing history. From the three W’s, 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. Matthew 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 Matthew 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 Matthew 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 Matthew Forde also dived into his journey, where it all started, his memorable ODI debut and rubbing shoulders with Russell.
Matthew Forde’s interview with Sportskeeda gives us a glimpse of his aspirations in future of WI cricket
Matthew Forde expressed on how he felt when he won his maiden Man of the Match award at international level on home ground in front of his parents speaking to Sportskeeda. He said :
“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.”
Further he continued when asked about his experience he said :
“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”
Matthew Forde also spoke freely about his strategy with bat and ball . He said :
“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.”
“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.”
Matthew Forde, the bowling all-rounder of the West Indies, has great things to say about Andre Russell, the superstar of T20 cricket. In a chat with Sportskeeda, Forde revealed he’d love to follow in the footsteps of Russell.
“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.”
Not only Forde, but any all-rounder in T20 cricket aspires to be anything close to Russell’s capabilities. He is among those genuine all-rounders who can contribute to a single department and remain in the side, for Russell is equally good with both bat and ball.
Recalling his time during the Bangladesh Premier League, where he played with Andre Russell, Matthew Forde revealed he gifted one of his bats to him. Further, he also gave a few useful tips to 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, and it’s been working for me.”
Matthew Forde spoke openly about his early days in cricket and starting his career in the field he loved. He said :
“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.”
He further added :
“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.”
Finally Matthew Forde spoke about his favorite pass time off the cricketing field and what he aspires after he won the CPL 2024 as St Lucia Kings player
“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.”
“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.”
Matthew Forde has had a sensational start to his international career, for he won the Player of the Match award on his debut ODI game against England in 2023. He took three wickets while conceding only 29 runs in his 8-over spell, playing a crucial role in restricting England to a low total in the first innings.
The talent is palpable, and Matthew Forde will look to bring more consistency to his game. With his dual value, Matthew Forde can become an asset for the West Indies across white-ball formats by contributing heavily with both bat and ball.