Half-centuries from Jemimah Rodrigues (73 off 35 balls) and opener Smriti Mandhana (54 off 33) powered India to a comprehensive 49-run win in their first Twenty/20 international versus the West Indies women at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, Navi Mumbai on December 15.
Mandhana and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) women's star Rodrigues shared in an 81-run stand for the second wicket as they helped India to a daunting score of 195 for four. In reply, the Windies women got meaningful contributions from the explosive Deandra Dottin (52 off 28) and Qiana Joseph (49 off 33), but they were restricted to just 146 for seven.
India got a solid 50-run stand from their opening batters Uma Chetry (24 off 26) and Mandhana, who notched her 28th fifty in the format. And though Chety was bowled by the miserly Karishma Ramharack (two for 18) in the seventh over, Mandhana and Rodrigues successfully took the attack to the Windies bowlers with their aggressive approach.
Dropped on 33 by West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, Mandhana brought up her fifty off 30 balls being undone by Ramharack in the 14th over.
The stylish Rodrigues soldiered on, though, and she clouted nine fours and two sixes in her innings as she brought up her 12th T20 fifty off just 28 balls.
The 24-year-old allrounder helped her team score 56 runs in the last five overs before she was dismissed via the run-out route in the final over.
The Windies had the worst possible start in pursuit of the big target, as they lost Matthews in only the second over for one. Medium-pacer Titas Sadhu (three for 37) had the magic touch for the hosts, as she got the key scalps of Matthews, Dottin and Joseph as India struck at critical junctures.
After the fall of vice-captain Shemaine Campbelle (13 off 13), Dottin and Joseph put on a rapid 44-run stand in just three overs to give the Windies hope.
Needing an improbable 83 runs off the last six overs, West Indies' hopes of victory were effectively dashed in the 15th over when Dottin was caught on the long-on boundary by Radha Yadav shortly after getting a 13th T20 fifty.
The second game in the three-match series will bowl off at the same venue on December 17.
Summarised Scores:
INDIA – 195/4 from 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 73, Smriti Mandhana 54, Uma Chetry 24; Karishma Ramharack 2/18, Deandra Dottin 1/37) vs WEST INDIES – 146/7 from 20 overs (D Dottin 52, Qiana Joseph 49, Shabika Gajnabi 15 not out; Titas Sadhu 3/37, Deepti Sharma 2/21). India won by 49 runs.
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