Picture : Twitter/ ANI
India continued their perfect start to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 with a composed six-wicket victory over the West Indies in Cape Town.
With India faltering at 43 for three chasing 118, the sorcerer and the apprentice combined as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and 19-year-old Richa Ghosh put together an assured 72-run stand to carry them over them line.
Kaur was not there to see the chase through to its conclusion but Ghosh was, finishing things off in with a boundary as India reached the finish line with 11 balls to spare.
Opting to bat first, the Windies innings was barely underway before the first wicket fell, as Hayley Matthews was dismissed with the first ball of the second over.
It was a dream start for seamer Pooja Vastrakar, who claimed the scalp of the Windies captain after she looked to cut a delivery which was perhaps a touch short.
Shemaine Campbelle joined Stafanie Taylor at the crease and the pair battled through a tough couple of overs before flexing their destructive muscles.
Campbelle kickstarted the innings with a divine pull shot and Taylor had also found her rhythm by the time Rajeshwari Gayakwad joined the attack, with both batters sweeping the left-armer to the rope.
Despite rotating her bowlers from over to over, a second wicket was not forthcoming for India captain Kaur, as the Windies passed 50 in the tenth over of the match.
The pair added 73 before Campbelle fell looking to reverse sweep Deepti Sharma, and Taylor joined her back in the pavilion just three balls later after a genius review from Kaur.
Things went from bad to worse for the Windies when Chinelle Henry was run out for just two as the innings suddenly threatened to peter out.
But Chedean Nation and Shabika Gajnabi arrived to steady the ship, carrying the team past 100.
There were no late fireworks however, as Sharma returned with an exemplary display of death bowling to restrict the 2016 winners to 118 while becoming the first Indian to take 100 T20I wickets.
Shafali Verma made some early inroads following the interval, slapping a couple of fours through the covers in a productive first over.
She and the returning Smriti Mandhana needed a slice of good fortune to help them on their way, with both openers edging to the fence.
The introduction of Karishma Ramharack proved a turning point, with the off-spinner taking the crucial wicket of Mandhana before skipper Matthews dismissed Jemimah Rodrigues caught and bowled an over later.
Verma’s fun then came to a close when she hooked Ramharack to Afy Fletcher in the deep, but despite the flurry of wickets, India managed to stay ahead of the required rate.
Kaur and Ghosh gave themselves time before wrapping up the win in double quick time, though Kaur would fall with India four runs short of the target.
Young Ghosh was especially impressive, continuing the solid form she showed in India’s win at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Scores in brief
India beat West Indies at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town by six wickets
West Indies 118 for 6 in 20 overs (Stafanie Taylor 42, Shemaine Campbelle 30; Deepti Sharma 3/15, Pooja Vastrakar 1/21)
India 119 for 4 in 18.1 overs (Richa Ghosh 44 not out, Harmanpreet Kaur 33; Karishma Ramharack 2/14, Hayley Matthews 1/12)
Player of the Match: Deepti Sharma
