India Women extended their unbeaten run against the West Indies to nine consecutive T20I victories with a dominating 49-run win in the series opener in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. After Jemimah Rodrigues (73) and Smriti Mandhana (54) powered India to their highest-ever total of 195 for four against the Caribbean side and their third highest overall in the format, the West Indies responded with 146 for seven.
At the top, young Qiana Joseph dazzled with a 33-ball 49, while veteran Deandra Dottin (52) recorded her first fifty since making a comeback to T20Is earlier this year, but their efforts were not enough. West Indies’ hopes were dealt a body blow in the second over when substitute fielder Minnu Mani produced a superb athletic catch to see the back of West Indies’ skipper Hayley Matthews (1) off Titas Sadhu (3/37).
Joseph cracked five fours and three sixes to keep the scoreboard ticking but West Indies could not produce big partnerships in the middle. Joseph and Shemaine Campbelle (13) put on a laborious 34-run stand for the second wicket off 31 balls, while the former's association with Dottin did not last beyond 18-ball 44 for the third wicket.
Joseph took a liking for Saima Thakor, hitting the Indian bowler for four boundaries in the eighth over but the asking rate only kept increasing. After Joseph missed her fifty by one run — dismissed by Sadhu — Dottin took charge of getting the big runs.
Dottin hit four fours and three sixes in her 28-ball 52 but even as she got a couple of lifelines with Indian fielders spilling regulation catches, the target was beyond the visitors. Dottin too became a victim of Sadhu, who capitalized on the pressure created by the spin duo of Deepti Sharma (2/21) and Radha Yadav (2/21).
Earlier, Rodrigues clobbered nine fours and two sixes to make a superb 73 off 35 balls, producing one of her finest knocks in the shortest format at No 3. Coming off a fine 105 in her last outing — the final ODI of the Australia tour — Mandhana continued with her rich streak of form to notch up her 28th fifty in the format and sixth of the year. Mandhana's 54 also took her runs tally past 600 runs in the year while she moved to the fourth spot in the list of highest run-scorers in women's T20Is in 2024. Mandhana's knock included seven fours and two sixes as she, along with the others in her camp, enjoyed returning to favourable and familiar conditions at home as India bettered their highest-ever total against West Indies. Their previous best was 185/4 in November 2019 at Gros Islet.
It was Rodrigues who appeared to have made the most of it, targeting her favourite scoring area on the leg side to pierce gaps with ease and even send the ball flying over the ropes at deep square leg on one occasion to bring up her 12th fifty. Mandhana and Rodrigues put on 81 for the second wicket off 44 balls before the former was dismissed by Karishma Ramharack, who was the pick among the Caribbean bowlers returning figures of 4-0-18-2.
Richa Ghosh made a quick 14-ball 20 with two fours and a six, and her knock ended with the veteran Deandra Dottin taking a superb catch at deep mid-wicket off Mandy Mangru in the 17th over.
India's opening pair of Uma Chetry (24) and Mandhana gave their side the early impetus, putting on 50 runs on board inside seven overs.
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