India-West Indies women’s T20 series:
Hayley Matthews’ scintillating 85 not out overshadowed Smriti Mandhana’s classy 62 as West Indies ended their nine-match losing streak against India, winning the second T20I by nine wickets to level the three-match series 1-1.
After Mandhana’s 41-ball knock and Richa Ghosh’s quickfire 32 took the hosts to 159/9, West Indies tore apart the Indian bowling attack in a ruthless display of power-hitting to record their biggest win in terms of wickets against India. The sixth-ranked West Indies knocked off the 160-run target in a mere 15.4 overs to reach 160/1, recording their first win over world No. 3 India after nine consecutive losses since November 2016. This was their ninth win in the shortest format in 24 meetings.
Matthews, who had earlier taken 2/36, led the demolition job with a brutal 47-ball 85 — which included 17 fours — while Qiana Joseph (38 off 22 balls, 6x4s, 2x6s) and Shemaine Campbelle (25 not out) fired their shots too.
The series decider will be played on Thursday. India won the first game by 49 runs.
Earlier, Mandhana’s second successive fifty and Richa Ghosh’s power-packed innings ensured a par score. Stand-in skipper Mandhana made the most of her three reprieves, notching up an attractive half-century laced with nine fours and a six to provide much-needed impetus at the top as wickets fell at the other end.
If Mandhana built the base, Ghosh played the finisher’s role to perfection with six fours in her 17-ball knock which took India past the 150-run mark.
Deandra Dottin was the hero for the Windies for her spectacular fielding and for returning a measly 2/14, snaffling the wickets of Uma Chetry and Ghosh.
Better execution
Stand-in skipper Mandhana was disappointed that her bowlers put up a below-par performance. In all, Indian bowlers conceded 27 boundaries and two sixes, and Mandhana found that unacceptable despite the dew setting in to make it difficult for her bowlers to grip the ball.
“I think conditions changed, but we couldn’t execute our plans. There was moisture, but we couldn’t do better. As a bowling unit, we need to execute our plans better going forward. There was a lot dew, but we can’t complain. We need to come back stronger in the next game,” Mandhana said.
She felt that Indian batters’ performance was also not up to the mark. “The kind of batting we could do in the first game, the same shots were not coming off tonight. We had to be a little more sensible and then start launching. We had a good launchpad.”
Brief scores: India: 159/9 in 20 overs (Mandhana 62, Ghosh 32; Matthews 2/36, Fletcher 2/28, Dottin 2/14, Henry 2/37); West Indies: 160/1 in 15.4 overs (Matthews 85*; Thakor 1/28).
