Pacer Renkua Singh Thakur proved that West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews was mistaken when she chose to bat first after winning the toss in the final match of the trip. Thakur dismissed both of the Windies openers in the opening over of the match.
All-rounder Deepti Sharma bowled out the visitors for 162 after a magnificent career-best six-wicket haul following Deepti’s explosive opening stint in which she took three wickets.
Between them, Thakur (4/29) and Deepti (6/31) were unrelenting with the ball, claiming all ten wickets.Deepti surprised the West Indies batters with flight and guile, recording her third ODI five-wicket haul and second six-wicket performance, while Thakur’s precise line and length destroyed the top order.
Chinelle Henry (61) and Shemaine Campbelle (46), who combined for 97 runs, helped the West Indies rally and reach 160. This stand could have prevented the visitors from being bowled out for less than 100.
Aaliyah Alleyne (21) was the only player other than Henry and Campbelle to score in double figures as the West Indies’ batting problems persisted.
With the score at 22 after an unusual 4 (19) from opener Smriti Mandhana in the second innings, India lost. After just four more balls in the previous match, Harleet Deol, the centurion, followed her back to the dressing room.Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain, quickly blasted seven boundaries in an attempt to shift the tide with Pratika Rawal. However, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews took out Rawal just as India appeared to be at ease, and Harmanpreet misjudged and lost her stumps to a delivery from Afy Fletcher.
Deepti Sharma and India’s savior-in-chief Jemimah Rodrigues worked brilliantly together, putting on an outstanding 50-run partnership that dashed expectations of a West Indies revival. Even though Jemimah was out for 29, India crossed the finish line with five wickets still in the hut thanks to a brilliant 23-run unbeaten cameo by Richa Ghosh off just 11 balls.
