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- India vs West Indies, ICC Women's T20 World Cup Warm-up highlights: India beat West Indies by 26 runs
India vs West Indies, ICC Women's T20 World Cup Warm-up highlights: India beat West Indies by 26 runs
Following their historic ICC Women's Cricket World Cup victory earlier this year, a complete performance from India saw them start their T20 World Cup preparations on a high after posting 179/8 before bowling out West Indies for 153/8. Fulmalli was the main anchor in India's innings, making an unbeaten 56 off 40 deliveries, whilst Radha and Shreyanka shared seven wickets between them to cut short the Caribbean chase.
Invited to bat, India's openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on a rapid 59, with Mandhana leading the way with a 39-ball 39, inclusive of 8 boundaries after a slow start from the West Indian pacers who couldn't find a regular rhythm. India reached 70/1 in the Power-play with the loss of Mandhana.
However, a slight wobble in the middle of the innings saw India lose three wickets in rapid succession before Fulmalli and Yastika Bhatia put together a solid 60-run stand for the fourth wicket. Bhatia looked in good touch until she retired out at 36 balls with 26 runs as part of an effort to get runs in the middle order, with India losing Ghosh and Radha within the space of the same over.
Fulmalli saw India home, with the opener smashing six boundaries and a six in a powerful 40-ball innings to guide India to a strong total. Afy Fletcher was the only bowler to distinguish herself as the West Indies attack looked to lack sting for most of the innings, as she recorded 4/23 from her four overs.
In reply, Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle offered resistance in the early stages, putting together a 63-run opening stand, but were way behind the rate and only managed 37 runs in the powerplay. The turning point of the innings came after the dismissal of Campbelle, who walked off, and it signalled the beginning of a middle-order collapse.
The spinners turned a positive start into a struggling 103/6. Shreyanka took the honours, with a brilliant 4/36, whilst Radha also took a superb 3/25, with the spinners extracting a great amount of turn from the pitch.
Dottin looked as though she would keep the chase alive with a 49-ball 41, but departed 1 run shy of a half-century. Though Alleyne and Shawnisha Hector gave India a scare, the visitors never really troubled India's total.
Chinelle Henry to Shafali Verma, Back of a length, just outside off, Shafali Verma steers it to wide short third and gets a single.
Chinelle Henry to Shafali Verma, FOUR! Streaky! Good-length delivery, angling in, around the middle stump. Shafali Verma looks to push it toward cover, but gets nicked on the inside edge, before it beats the keeper to her left and dribbles away to deep fine leg for four runs.
Chinelle Henry to Smriti Mandhana, A touch shorter, on middle, Smriti Mandhana shuffles and pulls it to deep square leg for a single.
Chinelle Henry to Shafali Verma, India Women are underway! Chinelle Henry scoots over the wicket and bowls much fuller, just outside off with a hint of outswinger. Shafali Verma lunges and drives it well toward the right of the cover fielder, who fumbles to field it clean. The ball rolls toward the sweeper cover fence and the extra cover fielder chases it down, keeping it down to three runs.
All in readiness for the game to begin. The Sophia Gardens is basking in sunshine as the umpires make their way out to the middle, followed by the players of West Indies Women. For India Women, it will be the usual duo of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana to open the innings. Chinelle Henry will take the new ball herself and will look to make good use of the early bowler-friendly conditions.
The stand-in skipper of India Women - Smriti Mandhana says that they were looking to field first as well, and reckons that they have batted first quite a lot in the past few matches. Smriti adds that they have an XI on paper, but will look to give everyone opportunities. On the conditions, she says it is good to have played under different types of English conditions.
The stand-in captain for West Indies Women - Chinelle Henry adds that the pitch has been under covers for a long time and for that reason, they will be bowling first to get the advantage out of it. On the warm-up fixtures, she says that they will try to experiment in this game and try to make changes as they are focusing on their opening World Cup match which is against England.
India Women - Smriti Mandhana (C), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Nandni Sharma, Sree Charani, and Renuka Singh Thakur.
West Indies Women - Qiana Joseph, Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin, Jannillea Glasgow, Mandy Mangru, Shemaine Campbelle (WK), Chinelle Henry (C), Zaida James, Jahzara Claxton, Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Aaliyah Alleyne, Karishma Ramharack, and Shawnisha Hector.
TOSS - West Indies Women have won the coin flip, and they will BOWL first.
Match Statistics
Venue
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
