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IND W vs WI W: In a thrilling turn of events in the three-match T20 series, the Indian women’s cricket team, which had won the first game by 49 runs, lost the second game to West Indies. West Indies staged a thrilling comeback, winning by nine wickets with 26 balls to spare, thus leveling the IND W vs WI W series 1-1. This will set up a thrilling decider, with the third and final match scheduled for December 19 at the same venue.
West Indies’ Dominant Chase in IND W vs WI W 2nd T20I
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In response to India’s set target of 159 for nine in their allotted 20 overs, West Indies chased down the target with ease in only 15.4 overs while losing just one wicket. The run chase was spearheaded by the skipper of the West Indies team, Hayley Matthews, who played a marvelous unbeaten knock of 85 runs off 47 balls, containing 17 boundaries.
Matthews was in excellent form, and her innings was instrumental in securing the victory for her side. It had been an aggressive batting start by the West Indies which saw Matthews receive solid support from openers Kiana Joseph and Shamaine Campbell. Joseph had made 38 runs while Campbell is still not out on 29. Together, those three formed the backbone in the chase which had an aggregate of 27 fours and 2 sixes. Matthews alone had been responsible for 17 out of those boundaries as was seen in her domination with the Indian bowlers.
For India, Saima Thakor was the only bowler to make a breakthrough, taking 1 wicket for 28 runs. But India’s batting effort was totally overshadowed by the aggressive batting of the West Indies.
IND W vs WI W: Resilience of Smriti Mandhana
Earlier, India was on the back foot after a good beginning. Smriti Mandhana proved herself once again with a stunning knock of 62 runs off 41 balls. This was her second consecutive half-century in the series, after having played 73 runs in the first match. Mandhana displayed her flair for finding the gaps, hitting nine fours and a six in her innings.
However, Mandhana did receive a few chances, as she was dropped on three occasions. Despite this, she held one end firm while wickets tumbled at the other. India’s middle-order struggled to build partnerships, and the team faced constant pressure from the West Indies bowlers.
Along with Mandhana, the aggressive batting by Richa Ghosh saw India post a competitive total. Ghosh, who came in at a critical juncture, smashed 32 runs off 17 balls and six boundaries. Her quick-fire innings ensured India crossed the 150-run mark, but wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
West Indies Aggressive Start to the Chase, IND W vs WI W
West Indies set an aggressive tone right from the start of their chase. The opening pair of Kiana Joseph and Matthews attacked the Indian bowlers right from the first over. Joseph struck Titas Sadhu for three fours and a six in the second over, giving West Indies a flying start. Matthews also found the boundary with ease, hitting two fours each against Renuka Thakur and Deepti Sharma.
At the end of the powerplay, West Indies had raced to 65/0 in just 6 overs, showing their intent to finish the match quickly. Matthews was in scintillating form, reaching her fifty in just 31 balls. She hit six boundaries in quick succession, including some classy shots against Radha Yadav in the 8th and 11th overs.
At three Shamaine Campbell did not waste time. She joined the action and thumped three successive fours from Titas Sadhu in the 9th over. This ongoing onslaught of the West Indies batswomen put tremendous pressure on India, and it seemed little could be done by the Indian bowlers to hold back the flow of runs.
India’s Failure with the Ball
India’s bowlers could not cut the flow of runs in the second innings as well during the run chase by West Indies. While Saima Thakor bowled sharply in her first two overs, Matthews soon messed up her figures by hitting three successive fours in her third over. The Indian bowlers were not disciplined or masterful enough to straitjacket the free-beating West Indies batsmen and let them roam at will.
Pressure started mounting on the Indian bowlers as Matthews sealed the game for West Indies with two more fours off Sajeevan Sajna in the 16th over. The West Indies had not only reached their target but had done so in a dominant manner, as Matthews finished the match in style.
India’s Problems in the Field
Poor fielding for the team, and for the bowlers, no breakthroughs came in middle overs. Dottin was a major player in not letting India get runs as she bowled tight, taking just 14 runs from her four overs. She also was a match-winner for her team with her incredible fielding, catching the ball that was destined for the boundary to get out Radha Yadav, preventing that from being six.
While Mandhana was still fighting hard for India, her dismissal on the 14th left the country with an impossible climb. Jemima Rodrigues (13) and debutant Raghavi Bisht (5) did not prove useful at all, whereas 17 runs by Deepti Sharma were nothing that would turn the course of play. The implosion at the top and lack of running between wickets as well as bad communications caused India to falter ultimately.
What to Expect: The Deciding Third IND W vs WI W T20
IND W vs WI W T20 series is now tied at 1-1, and everyone will be waiting for the third and final T20 match scheduled on December 19. The winner of this match will take away the series, and the two teams will be highly motivated to win.
India will have to pick themselves up very quickly, correct their mistakes, and make sure that they play a much more disciplined game to overcome the rampant West Indies. On the other hand, West Indies will look to carry forward the momentum from this commanding win and seal the series victory with another strong performance. The last IND W vs WI W T20 is going to be a thrilling contest as both teams are hungry for victory and the series is on the line.
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