India Women dominate West Indies, claiming T20I series victory with a 60-run win

Navi Mumbai: In a thrilling match, Richa Ghosh created history by smashing a record-equalling fastest fifty, while Smriti Mandhana played a graceful innings to lead India to a 60-run victory over the West Indies in the third and final women's T20I held here on Thursday.

Thus India clinched the three-match series 2-1, and it was also the home side's first T20I series win at home since October 2019.

Ghosh struck a 21-ball 54 while bringing up her fifty off a mere 18 balls and Mandhana made a robust 77 to power India to their highest ever T20I total of 217 for four.

In reply, West Indies crumbled against a mountainous target and crawled to 157/9 in their 20 overs, as left-arm spinner Radha Yadav returned with a four-wicket haul.

The West Indies could never really attain any momentum and lost Qiana Joseph early, while mainstays Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin also fell cheaply which severely hampered the visitors’ hopes.

Chinelle Henry waged a lone battle with a 16-ball 43, hitting four sixes and three fours, but her effort came when the fate of the game was all but sealed.

India deployed six bowlers to defend 218 and Radha was the pick among them 4-0-29-4.

The two teams will now move to Vadodara for a three-match ODI series to be played at the new Kotambi Stadium from December 22.

Earlier, Ghosh equalled the world record for the fastest fifty in women’s T20Is after Mandhana’s fireworks as India registered their highest-ever total in the shortest format, going past the 201/5 against the UAE in the Asia Cup earlier this year.

The 21-year-old Ghosh reached 54 off just 21 balls , alongside equalling the record for the fastest fifty being jointly held by New Zealand's Sophie Devine and Australia's Phoebe Litchfield.

Ghosh’s blitz came after Mandhana became the leading run-scorer in this format this year, reaching 763 runs in 23 T20Is, while smacking her third consecutive fifty of the series and eighth of the year.

She moved ahead of Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu in the run-scorer's list.

Having erred in the second game by not putting enough runs on the board, India rode on Mandhana’s charge to get their runs at nearly 10 an over.

Her pull shots were as compelling as her strokes on the off-side, at times effortlessly clearing the in-field to stamp her authority.

Mandhana’s fireworks overshadowed Uma Chetry’s two-ball duck in the first over and Rodrigues’ slow start in which she also survived a leg-before review against Matthews.

However, Rodrigues picked up pace after a slow start to make 28-ball 39 with four boundaries, building a robust platform for a big total as the two put on 98 runs off 55 balls.

At No 4, Raghvi Bisht made her first impression on international circuit when she danced down the track to clear Karishma Ramharack for a six and scored runs on both sides of the wicket.

Bisht played a perfect second fiddle to both Mandhana and Ghosh, adding 44 and 70 runs respectively while gaining crucial experience herself.

But Mandhana again missed a hundred, as she walked back to the hut after making 77 from 47 balls with 13 fours and a six. It was her highest score in this series, and she was dismissed in the 15th over by Dottin.

India then made the right move by sending in hard-hitter Ghosh ahead of Deepti Sharma, and the young wicketkeeper-batter dazzled.

Ghosh showcased her prowess with powerful hits with the ball landing nearly into the stands, particularly on the leg side, delighting a strong crowd over 45000.

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