IND-W vs WI-W T20 2024: Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana ...
The Indian women’s cricket team defeated West Indies by 49 runs in the first game of the three-match women’s T20 2024 series at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
Put into bat first after losing the toss, Indian batters made the most of the conditions to post 195/4 - their third-highest total in the women’s T20 cricket. Jemimah Rodrigues (73 off 35) and Smriti Mandhana (54 off 33) top-scored for the Indian cricket team.
West Indian batters Deandra Dottin (52 off 28) and Qiana Joseph (49 off 33) gave the visitors some hope but the Indian bowlers ensured that the hosts defended the huge total comfortably.
Earlier, openers Smriti Mandhana and Uma Chetry helped the Indian cricket team get off to a solid start, adding 50 runs for the opening wicket before Chetry was dismissed in the seventh over by Karishma Ramharack.
However, there was no respite for the visitors as Jemimah Rodrigues took little time to settle in and combined with Smriti Mandhana to keep the scoreboard moving at a brisk pace.
At the halfway mark, India were well-placed at 84/1 and crossed the 100-run mark in the 12th over, courtesy of Mandhana’s effortless six over deep midwicket.
Mandhana brought up her 50 off 30 balls and was dismissed in the 14th over while looking to accelerate further. However, Richa Ghosh’s quick 20 off 14 ensured India did not lose the momentum after Mandhana’s wicket.
At 160/3 after 17 overs, Rodrigues took charge of the Indian innings. She was run out in the final over but her knock, featuring nine fours and two sixes, helped India post an imposing 195/4.
Karishma Ramharack, with figures of 2/18 in four overs, was the pick of the West Indian bowlers.
In reply, the West Indies women's cricket team got off to a poor start with their captain Hayley Matthews dismissed in the second over.
Shemaine Campbelle’s wicket reduced Windies to 36/2 in the seventh over but opener Qiana Joseph combined with star all-rounder Deandra Dottin to keep the visitors afloat with clean hitting in the following overs.
Deandra Dottin, who was bought by the Gujarat Giants at the Women’s Premier League auction earlier in the day, got off the mark with a towering six over midwicket.
Joseph, meanwhile, smashed 18 runs in the eighth over to bring the West Indies back into the contest.
However, Titas Sadhu broke the dangerous 18-ball 44-run partnership in the 10th over by removing Qiana Joseph.
Deandra Dottin went on to complete her half-century but after her dismissal in the 15th over, India did not allow the rest of the batters to settle in and won the contest with a margin of 49 runs.
The second game of the three-match T20I series will be played at the same venue on Tuesday.
IND-W vs WI-W 1st T20 2024 brief scores: India 195/4 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 73, Smriti Mandhana 54, Karishma Ramharack 2/18) beat West Indies 146/7 in 20 overs (Deandra Dottin 52; Titas Sadhu 3/37) by 49 runs.
