Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh set up India’s record WT20I score on Thursday. (Express Photo by Narendra Vaskar)
With the series on the line, Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh put on a high-intent show in Navi Mumbai with blistering half-centuries. It was a record-breaking night for India in Navi Mumbai on Thursday night as they beat West Indies by 60 runs in the T20I series decider. First, Mandhana broke the record for the most 50-plus scores in women’s T20Is. Once she was dismissed, Ghosh came in and smashed an 18-ball half-century, the joint-fastest ever in this format. And those two knocks powered India to 217/4, their highest-ever total in women’s T20Is.
Hayley Matthews won the toss for a third straight time and had no hesitation to bowl first, given the dew factor at the DY Patil Stadium makes it a chase-friendly venue. The first over from Chinelle Henry saw the ball move around significantly and she picked up the wicket of Uma Chetry too, who was out for a duck. India paid the price for not being able to start well in the 2nd match of the series but stand-in captain Mandhana quickly found the feet.
Mandhana got going with a boundary in the second over through the offside but her onslaught truly began in the third. First, she took on Chinelle Henry, hitting three successive fours. She then followed that up with 4, 6, 4, 4 after getting back on strike in Deandra Dottin’s over, scoring seven boundaries on the trot. It was a dream start for Mandhana and India.
At the other end, Jemimah Rodrigues took her time to get set but helped India finish the powerplay strongly (61/1) with three fours in Karishma Ramharack’s over. The pleasing aspect of India’s batting was also how it wasn’t just a Mandhana show. Once Rodrigues fell for a busy 39, newcomer Raghvi Bist didn’t waste any time to get going, smashing her first international six off the 6th ball she faced.
Mandhana added another feather to her cap in what has been a good year for her personally. Her third consecutive half century of the series was the 30th in her career and it took her past New Zealand legend Suzie Bates, who has 28 half-centuries and one century in the format. The left-hander got to the landmark with a four over midwicket, scoring a 27-ball half century. Her first century in this format looked imminent until she got out rather softly by lofting Dottin to the fielder at mid off.
A 60-run victory in the Third and Final T20I! 🥳#TeamIndia win the decider in style and complete a 2⃣-1⃣ series victory 👏👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/Fuqs85UJ9W#INDvWI | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/SOPTWMPB3E
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 19, 2024
But in came Ghosh in the 15th over, and continuing the trend up until then, didn’t take long to fire. She smashed the first ball for a straight six off Dottin, followed that up with a square cut for four and it set the tone for what was to follow. However, West Indies did give her a big reprieve in the next over, with Dottin and Henry getting in each other’s way at deep midwicket and it proved to be rather costly. Ghosh could have actually set the outright record for the fastest 50 but failed to connect properly with a short ball when on 44 off 16. But off the first ball of the last over, she reached the record-equalling milestone with a six over midwicket. And once she fell, Sajana Sajeevan came in to hit a first-ball boundary to take India to their best total in this format. “First ball or last ball, if it is in my slot, I want to go for the big shots,” Ghosh said after the match.
The target of 218 was going to be daunting but WI showed last year they can achieve it, when they pulled off a win in Australia. A lot depended on Matthews and Dottin, and India were able to dismiss both of them in the 20s after getting starts.
“The way Raghvi batted was impressive, she came out with a lot of intent,” Mandhana said. “Playing just a second match and hitting 4th or 5th ball for a six… I think I would have not been able to do that when I was playing my second match. Then I think the way Richa took that responsibility was superb. Even in the last match I think her innings was really amazing but we could not appreciate it because we could not win the match. But today, I was just telling her I don’t know what did she eat today.”
The win marked a T20I series victory at home for the first time in 5 years for India. As Mandhana said, it was something that spurred the team on. “When I saw that stat, it is not something which reflects on what kind of cricket we’ve played so that’s what the chat was in the morning… that today we have an opportunity to change that, so really happy that you know we’ve got this series win.”
Record-breaking night
217/4: Highest total for India in WT20Is
18 balls: Fastest T20I fifty by an Indian woman and joint-fastest overall
30: Smriti Mandhana surpassed Suzie Bates for the most fifty-plus scores in women’s T20Is
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