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After a brilliant six-wicket haul, Deepti Sharma played a crucial role with the bat to guide India to victory. She first stunned the West Indies with figures of 6 for 31, helping bowl them out for just 162. When India found themselves in a difficult position during the chase, Deepti’s unbeaten 39 provided much-needed stability, […]
After a brilliant six-wicket haul, Deepti Sharma played a crucial role with the bat to guide India to victory. She first stunned the West Indies with figures of 6 for 31, helping bowl them out for just 162. When India found themselves in a difficult position during the chase, Deepti’s unbeaten 39 provided much-needed stability, steering her team to a five-wicket win and securing a 3-0 series victory in Vadodara.
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Deepti Sharma’s solid performance was bolstered by a bit of luck, as she was dropped by Hayley Matthews at slip on 21. Nonetheless, she dug in and played a crucial role, while Richa Ghosh provided the finishing touches. With India at 129 for 5, Ghosh calmed any fears of a collapse, blasting 23 off just 11 balls, including back-to-back sixes off legspinner Afy Fletcher to secure India’s victory.
The match was played under overcast skies, with a pitch that grew increasingly difficult to bat on as it began to turn and keep low. West Indies were once again undone by poor batting, with the exception of Chinelle Henry and Shemaine Campbelle, who put on a vital 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The collapse began early, with Renuka Singh claiming two wickets in the first over, dismissing Qiana Joseph and the in-form Matthews. When Deandra Dottin was bowled out by Renuka while attempting a shot, West Indies were reeling at 9 for 3 in the fifth over. Renuka went on to finish with figures of 4 for 34, cleaning up the lower order later in the innings during Deepti’s exceptional spell.
Amidst the collapse, Henry, playing her first ODI of the series, steadied the ship. Initially struggling to score, she was stuck at 3 off 17 balls before breaking free with a powerful six off debutant Tanuja Kanwar.
During her third half-century, Chinelle Henry played a series of elegant cuts and glides, showcasing her composure at the crease. At the other end, Shemaine Campbelle was aggressive, particularly against spin. She took the initiative against legspinner Priya Mishra, hitting her for three boundaries in her second over. After using her feet to dispatch two stunning drives—one down the ground and the other through cover—Campbelle rocked back to pull Mishra for a third when the bowler dropped short.
This 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket seemed to rejuvenate the West Indies, frustrating India in the process. However, Deepti Sharma soon made her mark, shifting the momentum in India’s favor. Campbelle, in a moment of reckless aggression, was lured into a big shot by Deepti and caught comfortably by Pratika Rawal at long-on. In the very next over, Zaida James was brilliantly caught at slip by Harmanpreet Kaur as Deepti got her to drive from the rough.
It could have been a triple-strike for India, but Renuka Singh dropped a straightforward return catch off a leading edge, allowing Aaliya Alleyne to survive on 0. Alleyne contributed 21 runs before she fell to a tame chip to short midwicket. Shortly after, Henry, who had brought up her third ODI half-century, was dismissed when a straight delivery from Renuka bowled her out. With that wicket, the West Indies lost their last five wickets for just 21 runs.
In reply, India’s chase started nervously, losing Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol early in the powerplay to the moving ball. Pratika Rawal, too, failed to capitalize on a solid start and holed out to mid-on in an attempt to attack Matthews’ off-spin.
India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, steadied the ship with a brilliant display of cover driving. She began her innings with two fours off the first five balls and continued her assault by striking three boundaries off Deandra Dottin in the ninth over, taking her to 23 off 13 balls. Harmanpreet appeared in full control before being undone by a delivery that skidded through from Afy Fletcher, briefly lifting the spirits of the West Indies. However, India’s chase continued without further hiccups as Deepti, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh all played key roles to see them home.
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