India’s Women ease past WI in opening T20

NAVI MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Jemimah Rodrigues blasted a superb half century and Titus Sadha followed up with a devastating spell of fast bowling as India Women comprehensively defeated West Indies Women by 49 runs in the opening T20I here at the DY Patil Stadium yesterday.

Rodrigues smashed 73 from just 33 balls and opener Smriti Mandhana made 54 from 33 balls to propel India to 195 for four off their 20 overs, their third highest T20I total.

Sadhu then snared three wickets, including the prized scalps of Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin and the West Indies could only muster 146 for seven from their 20 overs.

After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, India didn’t take long to establish their dominance, with Mandhana and her opening partner Uma Chetry hitting Zaida James for three boundaries in the second over of the innings that leaked 13 runs.

Skipper Matthews dropped Chetry at slip in the next over off pacer Chinelle Henry and the pair took full advantage, eventually bringing up the 50-run partnership in the sixth over after Mandhana launched Matthews over midwicket for six.

Offspinner Karishma Ramharack eventually broke the partnership when she bowled Chetry for 24 to leave India 50 for one.

Rodrigues then helped to put India firmly in the driver’s seat during a 81-run stand with Mandhana in seven overs.

Rodrigues wasted little time getting into stride, sending spinner Afy Fletcher to the boundary twice in the eighth over and the two batters hammered Matthews for two boundaries each in the 13th over.

Mandhana brought up her half century off 30 balls in the next over when she picked up a single off the bowling of Ramharack, but the bowler got her revenge two balls later when she had Mandhana caught at extra cover by Qiana Joseph.

Rodrigues then got to 50 off just 28 balls with a flick to fine leg and she continued her assault by launching Deandra Dottin for a six and four in the penultimate over.

She was eventually run out in the last over after striking nine fours and two sixes, but by then the damage had already been done.

Ramharack was the best West Indies bowler, picking up 2-18 from her four overs.

The West Indies suffered an immediate setback in their run chase when Sadhu had Matthews spectacularly caught by substitute fielder Mani, who hung onto the ball while diving after tracking back from mid on to leave the visitors two for one.

Shemaine Campbelle hit a pair of boundaries, but then was bowled by Deepti Sharma for 13 attempting a pull shot to a ball that kept low as West Indies slid to 36 for two in the seventh over.

Opener Qiana Joseph and Deandra Dottin then gave the Windies a slim hope of pulling off victory during a 44-run partnership.

Dottin got off the mark by hitting Sharma for a six over deep midwicket and followed it up with a reverse sweep that went for four.

Joseph then treated medium pacer Saima Thakor with scant respect, clobbering her for four boundaries in the eighth over that went for 18 runs and moved the score up to 64 for two.

But after hitting Sadhu for a six over deep midwicket to move to 49, Joseph chipped the bowler’s very next delivery to mid off where Thakor took an easy catch.

Her dismissal effectively ended the contest and even though Dottin was her usual dominant self on her way to notching her 13th T2oI half century, she received no other support and the Windies’ chase came to a screeching halt.

Sadhu finished with 3-37, while Sharma and Radha Yadava both took two wickets.