Smriti, the Rising Star

This was India’s second successive victory in the tournament and it is now on four points along with Australia, but in second place on Net Run-Rate. Mandhana, who scored 90 in the opener against England, faced 108 balls and struck 13 fours and two sixes. She added 108 runs for the third wicket with captain Mithali Raj (46) after India was in a bother at 33 for two. 

Mithali Raj praised her young star, saying: “When we lost two wickets I thought the match was even there but it was important to build a partnership. Smriti played well for her hundred, it was a crucial innings she played and overall the team looks good going into our next game.” 

“We stuck to the (bowling) plan, it was a good toss to win and I thought the spinners really turned the match. At one point, I thought their openers were going very well. 

“The captain’s (Stafanie Taylor) run-out and (Hayley) Matthews’ wicket was the turning point. After that the girls really tightened up the grip,” added Mithali Earlier, put into bat by Raj, Hayley Matthews had got the West Indies off to a good start despite the loss of Felicia Walters for just nine. 

However, when Matthews tamely chipped one back to Deepti Sharma for 43, the West Indies innings stalled altogether.

Unable to rotate the strike against the India spinners, even the usually explosive Deandra Dottin – holder of the fastest century in women’s T20Is – could manage just seven off 48 balls. Reduced to 91 for six, the West Indies seemed to recover, thanks to Shanel Daley (33) and Afy Fletcher (36 not out). 

Fletcher provided a late impetus to the West Indies innings when she and Anisa Mohammed added 37 runs for the unbroken ninth wicket in just over five overs. 

India, chasing 184 for victory, lost two early wickets. This brought Mandhana and Raj together, who put on a match-winning 108 runs partnership to take the game away from the West Indies. Stafanie Taylor admitted that it was the West Indies’ failure to keep the run-rate up in the middle overs that proved costly. 

“We didn’t get the batting right in the middle. A good platform was set but in the middle (overs) we fell down and were really short where we didn’t rotate the strike enough. We have the batters to do it but I think it’s up to the batters to take more responsibility in their actions. It was crucial to get the scoreboard ticking because we know how this pitch plays. We had to get a total of 270 to be competitive,” Stefanie said.  

“We have to go back to the drawing board and see what’s been happening and try to work on it. We have two days, we have to shake this off.”