Women’s T20 World Cup: Queen of her trade

PTI

Cape Town, February 15

Deepti Sharma shone with the ball before Richa Ghosh led India to a six-wicket win over West Indies in their Women’s T20 World Cup Group 2 match here today.

Deepti spun a web around the West Indies batters to restrict them to 118/6. The seasoned off-spinner (3/15) picked three wickets to become the first Indian player to get to 100 T20I wickets.

100 Deepti Sharma has become the leading wicket-taker for India in the T20I format across men or women. Yuzvendra Chahal leads the men’s circuit with 91 scalps.

Ghosh (44 not out) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (33) then put up a vital 72-run stand to take India to their second victory of the tournament with 11 balls to spare.

India were off to an electric start with openers Shafali Verma (28) and Smriti Madhana (10) taking the team total to 31 in four overs on the back of six fours.

Great day for us. Whatever we were expecting we managed to do. We are happy with the results and the next game (against England) is very important. Just want to continue the rhythm. Harmanpreet Kaur, India captain

I really feel good. What we discussed in the meeting and the plans I have, I just did that. I focused on a stump-to-stump line. It is a milestone (100 wickets). My focus was on the result and the team. Deepti Sharma, player of the match

But India lost the momentum as slow bowling did the trick for West Indies.

Mandhana missed off-spinner Karishma Ramharack’s (2/14) ball completely, resulting in an easy stumping for wicketkeeper Rasha Williams.

Last game’s match-winner Jemimah Rodrigues (1) became Hayley Matthews’ (1/12) first and only victim of the day as the skipper took a stellar catch off her own bowling.

After two low-scoring overs, Shafali tried to up the ante only to be caught at long-leg off Ramharack.

Harmanpreet took her time to settle down before hitting back-to-back fours off Afy Fletcher (0/24) in the ninth over. The skipper’s knock came off 42 balls with the help of three boundaries. Ghosh then did what she does best — finish the game. The youngster hit five fours, including one to finish off the match, in her unbeaten 32-ball innings.

The win strengthened India’s chances for a semifinals spot. The Women in Blue (+0.590) are second behind England (+2.497) in Group 2 owing to an inferior net run-rate. — PTI

Brief scores: West Indies: 118/6 (Taylor 42; Deepti 3/15); India: 119/4 in 18.1 overs (Ghosh 44*, Harmanpreet 33; Ramharack 2/14)

Australia cruise

Gqeberha (South Africa): Leg-spinner Georgia Wareham grabbed three wickets on her return after more than a year, while skipper Meg Lanning slammed an unbeaten 48 as defending champions Australia eased to an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh on Tuesday. Bangladesh managed a paltry 107/7 after opting to bat. Alyssa Healy (37 off 36) and Lanning’s partnership of 72 for the second wicket laid the foundations of the chase.