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IND W vs WI W: Deepti Sharma produced an eye-catching all-round show and helped India win the final and third ODI by 5 wickets as they defeated West Indies. In the series, Deepti put up her best bowling figures of 6 for 31 with her bowling and a solid not out of 39 of 48 balls batting with composure to be significant in helping India take an overall 3-0 clean sweep of the series.
Deepti Sharma’s Career-Best Bowling Performance in IND W vs WI W
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Deepti Sharma was the standout individual for India, and an impressive bowling performance marked the dominance of the evening. The senior off-spinner picked up a career-best 6 wickets for 31 runs with the dismantling of the West Indies batting lineup. The effort meant they could bowl out West Indies for a modest total in 39 overs of only 162 runs.
Deepti’s spell was pivotal as she spun a web around the West Indies batsmen, using her flight and variation to pick up key wickets. This performance marked her third ODI five-wicket haul and her second six-wicket haul. Along with Deepti, fast bowler Renuka Singh (4/29) also played a key role, especially with the new ball, giving India an early breakthrough and putting pressure on the West Indies’ top order.
Renuka Singh’s Early Breakthroughs
Renuka Singh was brilliant at the start, dismissing both openers early and leaving West Indies in dire straits. She removed Kian with the first ball of the match and followed that up by sending Hayley Matthews—who had scored a century in the previous game—back to the pavilion for a duck. Singh’s accuracy and persistence were key to dismantling the West Indies’ top order.
Early wickets by Renuka set the tone of India’s bowling attack, and before long, the middle and lower order of the West Indies folded under pressure. Deepti was instrumental in getting the visitors bowled out for a low score, which left them with very little room to come back from.
Henry and Campbell Bring Fightback for West Indies
Though the team’s early collapse was a cause for concern, West Indies could pull off a stoic resistance through a crucial partnership between Chinelle Henry and Shemaine Campbelle. The two carried West Indies’s innings forward with 97 runs with the fifth wicket to take the total up to 162. Chinelle Henry topped with 61, and Campbell chipped in with 46 to register vibrant aggression against Indian spinners, the real highlight of the West Indies innings.
Without their combination, West Indies would have likely been bowled out for less than 100 runs. Aaliyah Allen (21) was the only other batter to cross double figures as India’s bowlers continued to dominate. However, with regular wickets falling around them, the West Indies were never able to post a competitive total.
India’s Struggles in the Chase
Chasing a modest target of 163, India’s top order faced early setbacks, leaving them in a challenging position at 73/4. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who had been in good form, managed a quick-fire 32 runs off 22 balls before being bowled by Afy Fletcher. Kaur’s knock, which included seven boundaries, had looked promising, but her dismissal left India needing another steady hand to guide them to victory.
Smriti Mandhana (4) did not contribute much to the team, as she got dismissed after an unusual one-handed catch by Ashmini Munisar, who misjudged the delivery but came well in time to take the catch. Harleen Deol (1) could not repeat her heroics from the previous match as she edged a ball to wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle.
Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh Steady the Ship
Even though early wickets came, it was Deepti Sharma’s composed knock of 39 not out off 48 balls that ensured India remained in control of the chase. With her experience and calm head, Deepti guided India towards the target. Her partnership with middle-order batsman Jemimah Rodrigues (29 off 45 balls) helped steady the innings after the top-order collapse.
Richa Ghosh, India’s aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman, finished it off with an unbeaten 23 from just 11 balls. The quick runs ensured that India reached the target in just 28.2 overs, winning the match with plenty of time to spare. Her middle-overs partnership with Deepti helped India recover from a shaky start and complete the chase comfortably.
West Indies’ Batting Struggles and India’s Dominance
West Indies continued to bat very poorly in the IND W vs WI W series and had nothing to write home about except for Henry and Campbelle’s partnership. The team could not make any good partnerships and failed to capitalize on a decent total that could have ensured them a consolation win in the final ODI. The bowlers from India kept up the pressure constantly and kept picking wickets at regular intervals, mainly through Deepti and Renuka.
With the series already decided, West Indies were left to reflect on their performance, especially with their inability to post big scores in the final match. India’s clinical all-round performance, spearheaded by Deepti Sharma, ensured they completed a dominant 3-0 sweep of the series.
Deepti Sharma’s all-round brilliance in the third IND W vs WI W ODI was a fitting conclusion to India’s dominant series performance. Her career-best bowling figures and a match-winning knock with the bat were crucial to India’s comprehensive 5-wicket win. Indian team showed strength and depth as they dug deep into their reserves to show the resilience needed, especially after a shaky chase.
The clean sweep ensures that India dominated the IND W vs WI W series and would be elated by the all-round performances of players like Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh, and Richa Ghosh.
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