West Indies Women lost a three-match One-Day International (ODI) cricket series against the Indian Women after the visitors clinched the third and deciding encounter with a dominant batting performance at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
A powerful century partnership for the first wicket helped India to surpass West Indies score of 194 all out in 50 overs to secure the series after both teams entered the decider with one victory apiece.
A half century from Captain Stafanie Taylor pushed the West Indies to a defendable total as the homeside struggled to recover from a shaky start, having won the toss and electing to bat.
Not a single run was scored in the first two overs as Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey pinned down opening batters Hayley Matthews and Natasha McLean with pace.
But Hayley, playing her first game in the series, eventually launched an attack on the Indian pacers hitting three fours and a six on her way to 26.
However, her run out signaled a turning point in the game for the Caribbean side as their run rate dropped.
Kyshona Knight and Stafanie Taylor picked up quick singles to steady the innings in a partnership that yielded 34 runs until Knight was caught for 16 attempting a sweep.
Taylor, voted player of the series, led the revival with a top score of 79 and featured in a crucial 96 run stand with Stacy-Ann King who added 38 before she was bowled.
The rest of the West Indies Women’s batters fell for single digits.
A 141 run opening partnership dictated the Indian run chase with Smriti Mandhana scoring 74 and Jemimah Rodrigues 69.
India stumbled slightly at one stage with four wickets falling in a few overs by then they were already on course to victory by six wickets in 42.1 overs, finishing on 195 for 6.
The Indian women’s tour of the Caribbean now shifts to a five-match Twenty20 International series with the first two scheduled for the Daren Sammy Stadium in St. Lucia this weekend.
