India Women keen on finishing series in a flourish

India, after clinching the three-match series 2-0 against West Indies, will aim to finish the contest in the flourish at Mulapadu Cricket Ground here on Wednesday.

Smriti Mandhana guided India to a comfortable victory in the second ODI and helped the hosts seal the series 2-0 with one match left.

India, after clinching the three-match series 2-0 against West Indies, will aim to finish the contest in the flourish at Mulapadu Cricket Ground here on Wednesday.

However, the host is a piquant position for even a 3-0 win margin will not be enough to qualify for the 2017 ICC World Cup directly and it has to qualify by playing the qualifiers in Colombo.

“We have 17 points and a win in the final tie will give us two more. Australia, (30), England (25), New Zealand (22) and West Indies (22) will make the cut. As the India and Pakistan series appear doubtful our chances of garnering more points to qualify directly are bleak,” said Indian coach Purnima Rau.

She said the team has to work hard on fitness and fielding. “At crucial junctures catches were dropped. Fitness is also an issue with some girls”.

She said a couple of decent outings by openers has ended the poor run of opening partnerships. Rau said that while the team succeeded in chasing the targets twice and the batters were well-prepared to post a fighting total to defend.

Rau appreciated the role of bowlers in the series and said a win will keep the momentum going for the three T20 ties against West Indies which begins at the same venue from Friday.