Naijanni Cumberbatch led the West Indies Under-19 women’s cricket team to a convincing five-wicket win over USA Women U-19s in the first T20 International to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, yesterday.
Playing at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial ground at the University of the West Indies Sport and Physical Education Centre in St Augustine, Cumberbatch took four for 12 as USA were restricted to 66 for 9 from their 20 overs, with Maahi Madhavan their best batter with 15 runs. Aditi Paveen Kumar was the only other batter who got into the double figures with ten.
Skipper Samara Ramnath of T&T, on her return from injury, took three for 12 from her four overs and Amrita Ramtahal (2-18) added two more wickets as USA had no answer for the West Indies bowlers.
In reply, West Indies got to the 67-run target in 15.4 overs.
Cumberbatch returned to continue her dominance in the match, this time with the bat. She hit a run-a-ball 26. The Barbadian hit two fours and a six. Eboni Brathwaite added ten as their second-highest contributor.
Most Valuable Player of the recent West Indies Rising Stars Women’s Under-19 tournament that ended last week, Saivanni Kambalapalli, who played with Leeward Islands, scored a first-ball duck, batting at number nine and could not help her team.
Ramnath, who missed the regional tournament because of injury, was not out on five, and her vice captain Barbadian Theanny Herbert-Mayers, was not out on two when they completed the win.
The second T20 of the five-match series is today at the same venue.
Summarised scores
USA U-19 66-9 off 20 overs (Maahi Madhavan 15, Aditi Kumar 10; Naijanni Cumberbatch 4-12, Samara Ramnath 3-12, Amrita Ramtahal 2-18) vs West Indies U-19 67-5 in 15.4 overs (Naijanni Cumberbatch 26, Eboni Brathwaite 10; Taranum Chopra 2-9). West Indies U-19 women won by five wickets.
