Riding on an all-round show with the bat and the ball, India registered a comprehensive victory of 155 runs against the West Indies at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup on Saturday.
Centuries from opener Smriti Mandhana and vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur powered India to 317 for eight, the team’s highest total in the history of the tournament at Seddon Park, Hamilton. Sneh Rana then led a brilliant bowling turnaround after Deandra Dottin’s sensational innings as India won big.
The match was the seventh time the two sides were facing each other in the showpiece event and with this victory, India is unbeaten against the West Indies, winning seven out of seven games.
After captain Mithali Raj won the toss and elected to bat, India were off to a good start as Yastika Bhatia in only her second outing as an opener in the World Cup scored a quick 31 off 21 balls. However, once she departed, Mithali Raj (5) and Deepti Sharma (15) also followed suit, leaving India reeling somewhat at 78 for three.
Mandhana (123) and Kaur (109) then piled on a massive 184-run partnership fourth wicket to take India across the 200-mark. This was also India’s highest partnership for any wicket in this tournament’s history.
For West Indies, Anisa Mohammed was the most successful bowler, taking two for 59, while Hayley Matthews (1/65), Shakera Selman (1/41), Deandra Dottin (1/32) and Aaliyah Alleyne (1/26) also accounted for one wicket each.
In their pursuit to chase the mammoth total, Dottin who was striking at 134.78 provided the ideal start for the West Indies with a fiery 62-run knock along with Hayley Matthews who chipped in 43 off 36 before both the openers succumbed to Sneh Rana (3/22).
With their departure also came the end of any significant partnerships for the West Indies as Meghna Singh joined Rana in the wickets column by dismissing Kycia Knight (5) and Stafanie Taylor (1) with her bowling figures 2/27.
More to follow...
