GEORGETOWN—Not even a slightly farcical nine-over per side affair could snap West Indies Women’s losing streak as they slid to a five-run defeat to India Women in the penultimate Twenty20 International here yesterday.
After an extended delay at the start forced a massive reduction in overs, India scrambled to 50 for seven with Windies off-spinner Hayley Matthews claiming three for 13, while leg-spinner Afy Fletcher (2-2) and off-spinner Sheneta Grimmond (2-10) finished with two wickets apiece.
Twenty-year-old Pooja Vastrakar was the only batter to reach double figures with 10 as India never found their momentum after being asked to bat.
Matthews set the tone early when she removed dangerous 15-year-old Shefali Verma for seven in the opening over with the score on eight, holing out to long on off the fifth ball of the game.
And Matthews returned in the third over to strike twice, first having the opener Jemimah Rodrigues (6) brilliantly taken on the ropes at mid-wicket by Kyshona Knight and then getting Veda Krishnamurthy (5) to pick out Natasha McLean at mid off.
Fletcher and Grimmond both followed up with tight spells to ensure India’s stroke-makers were kept in check.
In reply, West Indies came up short at 45 for five off their allotted overs Matthews and Chinelle Henry both top-scoring with 11 and McLean chipping in with 10. They were in good shape at 31 for two at the start of the eighth but lost three key wickets to watch their victory bid fizzle out.
India leads 4-0 in the five-match series which concludes here Wednesday. (CMC)
INDIA WOMEN 50-7 (9) (Pooja Vastrakar 10, Hayley Matthews 3-13, Afy Fletcher 2-2, Sheneta Grimmond 2-10) v WEST INDIES 45-5 (9) (Hayley Matthews 11, Chinelle Henry 11, Anuja Patil 2-8)
Result: India women won by 5 runs