AHMEDABAD – Steady bowling spells from Tramayne Smartt and Anisa Mohammed helped West Indies Women level their three-match Twenty20 International series with India Women, following a tense, three-run victory yesterday.
Smartt was the pick of the Windies bowlers with three wickets for nine runs from three overs, and Mohammed supported with two for 17 from four overs, as India were restricted to 104 for eight from their allocation of 20 overs in the second T20 at the Sardar Patel Stadium.
The result meant that the series is now level 1-1, with the deciding match scheduled for today at the same venue.
Juliana Nero continued her fine form, hitting seven boundaries in the top score of 44 from 45 balls, and Stafanie Taylor added 21 to lead the Windies to what looked like an inadequate 107 for seven from their 20 overs.
Nero and Taylor, the Windies’ two most prolific batters on the tour, added 54 for the second wicket, after Deandra Dottin, promoted to open the batting, was dismissed for a duck to the second ball of the match from India captain Jhulan Goswami.
But the rest of the Windies’ was again undermined by the leg-spin of Priyanka Roy, who captured four wickets for 19 runs from her allotment of four overs.
Smartt then set the Indians back early, when she bowled Rumeli Dhar for four in the third over, and the hosts failed to build momentum in their chase.
The Windies knew they were in control when three wickets – two to Mohammed – fell for 12 in the space of 28 balls to leave the hosts wobbling on 49 for four.
The visitors continued to mount the pressure, and although Harmanpreet Kaur led the way with 33 and Poonam Raut got 30, there was little substance and stability from the rest of the Indian batting. (CMC)
