India Women wrap up ODI series with big win over WI

VADODARA, India (CMC):

Harleen Deol cracked her maiden international century and India Women put together yet another masterful showing to once again roll over the West Indies Women, this time by 115 runs, to wrap up the One Day International (ODI) series here at the Kotambi International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

In a match that saw India break several records, Deol smashed 115 runs from just 103 balls and three other batters scored half centuries, as the home side racked up a mammoth 358 for five from their 50 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat.

Skipper Hayley Matthews (106) then struck a fighting ODI century, but there was little other resistance from the West Indies, and they eventually were bowled out for 243 in 46.2 overs.

India’s total tied their highest ever in an ODI and it was only the second time that four Indian women scored 50-plus runs in an ODI.

They also struck 43 boundaries, their most ever in a single Women’s ODI.

For the second successive match, India’s opening duo of Smriti Mandhana and Pratikal Rawal set a proper foundation with another century stand.

Rawal scored 76 and Mandhana made 53, her second half century of the series and 29th in ODIs, during a 110-run partnership in just under 17 overs.

It took a run out to break the partnership, with Mandhana short of her ground when wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbell broke the stumps from an accurate throw by Karishma Ramharack.

Her dismissal brought Deol to the crease and together with Rawal they added 62 runs to further solidify India’s authority.

However, West Indies only had themselves to blame for Deol’s rampage, with Deandra Dottin spilling a catch at square leg when she was only 20.

Rawal too looked on course for a maiden century, but was deceived by a delivery from Zaida James that stuck in the pitch and she gifted Qiana Joseph an easy catch at short midwicket to leave the score 172 for two.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur made 22 before she was bowled by Afy Fletcher to make it 215 for three in the 36th over, but from thereon India tightened their grip on the contest.

Deol reached her half century off 62 balls with a single down to long off, and then increased her aggression.

She hit Dottin for three boundaries in the 45th over to move into the 90s and then brought up her first century in 31 innings by smashing Shamilia Connell for four between fine leg and deep backward square.

Deol shared a 116-run partnership with Jemimah Rodrigues, who made 52, to take India past the 300 mark.

She was eventually dismissed in the 48th over by Qiana Joseph after spending just over two and a half hours at the crease and striking 16 boundaries.

West Indies Women once again lost early wickets in their chase and their margin of defeat would have been substantially heavier was it not for the efforts of Matthews.

Qiana Joseph made 15 before being caught at midoff by Rawal, Nerissa Crafton was caught and bowled by Titas Sadhu for 13, Rashida Williams was trapped leg before wicket by Priya Mishra for a duck and Deandra Dottin was bowled by a beautiful inswinger from Renuka Singh for 10, to see the visitors slip to 69 for four in the 17th over.

Matthews and Campbelle stopped the tumbling of wickets during a 102-run partnership that gave them a slim hope of pulling off a historic victory.

Matthews was very defensive early on, but upped the ante to bring up her seventh ODI half century off 61 balls.

She then hit medium pacer Saima Thakor for two boundaries in the 26th over and followed that up by dishing out the same treatment to legspinner Priya Mishra three overs later.

When Campbelle was caught at cover for 38 going for a big hit, it signalled the end of West Indies’ fightback.

Matthews eventually brought up her seventh ODI century when she scampered a single to midwicket, but the West Indies lost the wicket of Aaliyah Alleyne for a duck to be 182 for six.

The match was essentially over when Matthews was caught at deep midwicket after facing 109 balls and hitting 13 fours with the score 199 for seven, with the efforts of Zaida James and Afy Fletcher bolstering their eventual total.

Mishra ended with 3-49, while Sharma, Sadhu and Rawal all took two wickets apiece.