India Women extended their unbeaten run against West Indies to nine consecutive T20I wins with a dominant 49-run win in the series opener on Sunday. After Jemimah Rodrigues (73) and Smriti Mandhana (54) took India to their highest ever total of 195 for four against the Caribbean side and their third highest overall in the format, West Indies responded with 146 for seven. At the top, young Qiana Joseph shone with a 33-ball 49, while veteran Deandra Dottin (52) notched her first fifty since her comeback to T20Is earlier this year, but their efforts were not enough.
West Indies' hopes suffered a blow in the second over when substitute Minnu Mani produced a superb athletic catch to see the back of West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews (1) off Titas Sadhu (3/37).
Joseph cracked five fours and three sixes to keep the scoreboard ticking, but West Indies could not forge big partnerships in the middle.
Joseph and Shemaine Campbelle (13) put on a difficult 34-run stand for the second wicket off 31 balls, while the former's partnership with Dottin lasted no further than 18-ball 44 for the third wicket.
Joseph took a liking to Saima Thakor and hit the Indian bowler for four boundaries in the eighth over, but the asking rate only continued to rise. After Joseph missed her fifty to one – dismissed by Sadhu – Dottin took charge of hitting the big runs.
Dottin hit four fours and three sixes in her 28-ball 52, but even when she got a few lifelines with Indian fielders spilling regular catches, the target was beyond the visitors.
Dottin also fell victim to Sadhu, who benefited from pressure from spin duo Deepti Sharma (2/21) and Radha Yadav (2/21).
Earlier, Rodrigues smashed nine fours and two sixes to make a fantastic 73 from 35 balls, producing one of her best strokes in the shortest format at No. 3.
After hitting a fine 105 in her last outing – the final ODI of the Australian tour – Mandhana continued her rich form to notch her 28th fifty in the format and sixth of the year.
Mandhana's 54 also took her run tally above 600 runs on the year as she moved to fourth spot in the list of highest run-scorers in women's T20Is in 2024.
Mandhana's knock included seven fours and two sixes as she, along with the others in her camp, enjoyed returning to favorable and familiar conditions at home as India improved on their highest ever total against the West Indies. Their previous best was 185/4 in November 2019 at Gros Islet.
It was Rodrigues who seemed to have made the most of it, targeting her favored scoring area down the leg side to break gaps with ease and once even sending the ball flying over the ropes with deep square leg for her 12th fifty to bring up.
Mandhana and Rodrigues put on 81 for the second wicket off 44 balls before the former was dismissed by Karishma Ramharack, who was the pick among the Caribbean bowlers who returned figures of 4-0-18-2.
Richa Ghosh made a quick 14-ball 20 with two fours and a six, and her knock ended when veteran Deandra Dottin took an excellent catch at deep mid-wicket off Mandy Mangru in the 17th over.
India's opening pair of Uma Chetry (24) and Mandhana gave their side the initial impetus and scored 50 runs inside seven overs.
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