West Indies Women open their tri-series against Ireland at Castle Avenue on Thursday, with captain Hayley Matthews saying the matches are a crucial final test before the Women’s ICC T20 World Cup. The series also includes Pakistan and gives the West Indies four matches to sharpen their plans before the tournament begins in England and Wales on June 12.

Matthews said the aim is simple: win all of the games, build confidence and leave no doubt about the combinations the side wants to take into the World Cup. West Indies Women are sixth in the T20I rankings, ahead of Pakistan in eighth and Ireland in ninth, but Matthews said that makes the task more useful, not less, because both opponents are improving and will provide a proper test.

“The tri-series is going to be very important, obviously with the World Cup coming up in just about a week or two now,” Matthews said, adding that the group wants to get the combinations right and know exactly what plans it will have in place. She said success in the series would be clear if West Indies beat both Ireland and Pakistan in every match, calling that the real goal for the week.

Before arriving in Ireland, the squad completed a 10-day preparatory camp in Wales, where Matthews said the side worked in conditions similar to those expected at the World Cup. She said the camp was important for getting the players accustomed to the setting and into good rhythm before the trip to Castle Avenue, where the first step of the buildup begins against Ireland.

The tri-series is not just another warm-up. For West Indies Women, it is the last chance to settle roles, test matchups and build momentum against teams they are expected to beat on paper. If Matthews gets the response she wants, the side will head into June 12 with more than form on its side; it will also have evidence that the group is aligned on how it wants to play when the World Cup starts.