Deepti Sharma became the first Indian to get 100 T20I wickets as India made it two wins in two at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Deepti and Pooja Vastrakar ensured that West Indies could only muster 118 batting first in Cape Town. In response, captain Harmanpreeet Kaur and Richa Ghosh stitched a 72-run stand to see their side through.
Chasing almost a run-a-ball target of 119 against the West Indies, India started off strong with Shafali Verma striking three fours in the first over off Shamilia Connell in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Shafali and Smriti Mandhana, who returned to the team after being rested in the opening match against Pakistan, feasted on the West Indian bowling with continued attacks hitting three more fours in the 2nd over. Captain Hayley Matthews brought herself on, taking pace off the bowling, which put the brakes on scoring for the third over.
The strategy to take the pace off the ball worked in the subsequent over, as Mandhana (10) stepped out to hit Karishma Ramharack, but missed completely for Rashada Williams to complete the stumping.
The spinners continued to build pressure on India batters and Shafali (28) eventually succumbed to it, as she got caught in the deep by Afy Fletcher off Ramharack.
Stafanie Taylor was stretchered off due to an injury that looked serious and could be pulled out of the World Cup squad. After the game resumed, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh put pressure on Fletcher, striking 16 runs from her first over, powering the scoreboard to 60 off 9 overs. Ramharack completed her quota of four overs registering figures of 2-14. Once seam bowling was introduced again, both Indian batters looked at ease scoring runs at will, powering through the innings.
Kaur and Ghosh rotated the strike and scored the occasional boundary, giving the bad balls the punishment they deserved. With pressure building on them to stop the inflow of runs, even the spinners looked ineffective. West Indies’ best chance to break the partnership probably came off the fourth ball of the 15th over when Matthews managed to get an outside edge off Ghosh’s bat, only to be put down by wicket-keeper Williams.
Another opportunity presented itself to send Ghosh back, but was again dropped by Williams, this time off Shabika Gajnabi with India needing 6 runs to win off 20 deliveries. Kaur (33) skied one, but Shemaine Campbelle made no mistake, even with the point fielder running towards her. Ghosh (44*), especially, looked super confident in her strokeplay coming on the back of the U19 World Cup win, helping the Women in Blue cross the line with 11 balls to spare.
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