Two tight overs by Windies pacers Deandra Dottin and Shakera Selman at the death saw West Indies complete a clean sweep (3-0) against India in the three-match T-20 series that ended at Mulapadu here on Tuesday. The visitor defeated India by 15 runs.
Chasing 140 for victory, India needed 28 runs from the last two overs and with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (60) and Veda Krishna Murthy (31) going great guns, it looked anybody’s contest. Both the pacers held their nerves and stuck to the line and length and what followed was a series of frustrating swing-and-miss strokes by the Indian duo.
India failed to utilise the power play to the optimum level and with three wickets tumbling in just 32 runs in six overs, the onus fell on Harmanpreet and Veda to salvage the innings.
It was yet another forgettable outing for opener Vanitha as she failed to regain her crease in the very first ball and the throw from Stefanie Taylor from point was spot on. Smriti Mandhana was a victim for her flamboyance and local girl Meghana’s ambitious stroke proved her undoing.
Earlier, electing to bat, West Indies posted a fighting 139 for four in 20 overs with skipper Stefanie Taylor churning out yet another brilliant 55-ball unbeaten 44 runs. It was her opening partner Hayley Matthews (47) who hogged the limelight as she went berserk right from the first over and took the team’s total past 60 in just six overs.
Scores
West Indies: Hayley Matthews c Nuzhat b Poonam 47, Stafanie Taylor (not out) 44, Britney Cooper lbw Ekta 11, Kycia Knight c Meghana b Poonam 16, Deandra Dottin c Harmanpreet b Jhulan 6, Shaquana Quintyne (not out) 9; Extras (w-4, b-1, 1-nb): 6; Total (for four wickets in 20 overs) 139.
India: V.R. Vanitha (run out) 0, S. Meghana c Shakera b Hayley 19, Smriti Mandhana c Shakera b Deandra 6, Veda Krishnamurthy (not out) 31, Harmanpreet Kaur (not out) 60; Extras: (b-2, lb-1, w-5): 8; Total (for three wickets in 20 overs) 124.
Result: West Indies won by 15 runs.
