The 24-year-old middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues was the star of the show, playing a crucial part with a blazing half-century (73 off 35 balls), scoring at a strike rate of over 200 (208.57 to be precise) as India took the series lead with a 49-run win in the 1st T20I of the three-match series.
The regular Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur missed out due to a niggle that she suffered while batting in the 1st game. Smriti Mandhana stepped in to lead the side in her absence in the 2nd T20I and Raghvi Bisht made her T20I debut for India. On the other hand, Nerissa Crafton made her T20I debut for the West Indies, and Ashmini Munisar replaced Shamilia Connell in the playing 11 for the visitors in the 2nd T20I.
A late blitz from the Richa Ghosh helped India post a competitive total
A much better start from the visitors as they managed to pick up a couple of wickets inside the powerplay after skipper Hayley Matthews won the toss and opted to bowl first. What seemed to be a promising start for the debutant Raghvi Bist, came to an end in the 9th over of the innings. Afy Fletcher provided the 3rd breakthrough for the West Indies.
Deepti Sharma joined the stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana at the crease and the Indian skipper rode her share of luck to notch up her 29th half-century in the T20I format en route to their 56-run 4th wicket stand. The partnership took the home side past the 100-run mark. Skipper Hayley Matthews got the better of her opposite number Smriti Mandhana (62 off 41 balls) to provide the 4th breakthrough for her side.
India lost a couple of wickets in quick succession to bring West Indies firmly back into the contest. Radha Yadav joined the wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh at the crease and Richa took the attack to the opposition en route to their quick-fire 31-run 7th wicket stand. Richa Ghosh departed after a brisk cameo (32 off 17 balls). Deandra Dottin provided the crucial breakthrough to limit the damage.
India eventually ended up with a total of 159/9 in their quota of 20 overs. The pair of Richa Ghosh and Smriti Mandhana made a significant contribution (59%) to their team’s total. Deandra Dottin (4-0-14-2), skipper Hayley Matthews (4-0-36-2), Chenille Henry (4-0-37-2), and Afy Fletcher (3-0-28-2) picked up a couple of wickets each with the ball for the West Indies.
Qiana Joseph and Hayley Matthews’ onslaught blows India away in the 2nd T20I
The West Indies openers Qiana Joseph and skipper Hayley Matthews came out all guns blazing with a 66-run opening stand. The pair scored at a rate of around 11 runs an over to take the fizz out of the run chase. Saima Thakor picked up her maiden wicket in the T20I format by dismissing Qiana Joseph (38 off 22 balls) in the 7th over of the innings to provide some respite for the Indian bowlers.
Wicket-keeper batter Shemaine Campbelle (29* off 26 balls) joined skipper Hayley Mathews at the crease and the skipper took over the baton and continued to land punches with her fierce stroke play. The duo eventually took their side over the line with an unbeaten 94-run stand for the 2nd wicket, to level the series with 26 balls to spare. The West Indian skipper Hayley Matthews completed her 15th half-century in the T20I format, her 1st half-century against India in the format. She stayed unbeaten on 85* (47 balls) to guide her side over the line.
Saima Thakor (3-0-28-1) was the lone wicket-taker for India with the ball. The West Indian skipper Hayley Matthews was also awarded the Player of the Match for her match-defining contribution 85* (47 balls) with the bat and 2/36(4) with the ball, as the visitors leveled the series, pushing it into the decider on Thursday, 19th December 2024.
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