Three-match sweep

Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh dismantled the West Indies Women’s batting, carrying India Women to a comfortable five-wicket victory and a sweep of the three-match One-Day International series at India’s Kotambi International Cricket Stadium.

Player-of-the-Match Sharma collected six wickets, her second five-wicket haul in ODIs, and Singh, who was named Player-of-the-Series, bagged the other four wickets as the Windies were dismissed for an insignificant 162 in 38.5 overs.

Chinelle Henry top-scored with 61, while Shemaine Campbelle made 46.
Having lost the first two matches, the West Indies batted first this time after winning the toss, but it still wasn’t fruitful.

The West Indies started off badly, with Qiana Joseph edging pacer Singh’s first ball of the innings into the hands of wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh.

Five balls later, Captain Hayley Matthews was out for a two-ball duck, bowled by Singh, to leave the Windies one for two.

Deandra Dottin smacked Titas Sadhu for a boundary but was bowled by Singh in the next over as the Windies women slumped to nine for three.

However, a 97-run partnership between Henry and Campbelle brought the Windies back into the match and gave them a little hope of posting a competitive total. Sharma ended with 6-31, while Singh took 4-29.

In reply, India wasted little time, with Sharma scoring an unbeaten 39 to guide them to 167 for five in 28.2 overs.

Alleyne removed Smriti Mandhana cheaply for the first time in the series for two, while Dottin dismissed Harleen Deol for one to leave India 23 for two.

Matthews took Pratika Rawal’s wicket for 18, and Fletcher bowled captain Harmanpreet Kaur for 32. At this point, India was on 73 for four.

Sharma then came to her side’s rescue again, first adding 56 with Jemimah Rodrigues, who made 29 and then featuring in an unbroken 38-run partnership with Richa Ghosh, who made an unbeaten 23, to carry the home side to victory and ensured the series sweep.

West Indies Captain Hayley Matthews, however, was positive about her team despite the loss in the post-match interview and said, “As a group, we get to see the depth we have. To see

Henry stand up, it was really good to gather, and it was just personal milestones that a lot of the girls have been able to reach.”
“We were probably a few runs short. But it’s good to see the fight shown in the second half. Everyone getting up and about – it shows that no matter what, we want to fight until the very end,” said Matthews.