West Indies women's cricket team rode on Hayley Matthews' explosive knock to bulldoze India in the second T20I at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on December 17 and level the three-match series 1-1 with a match to spare. Captain Hayley Matthews wreaked havoc on Indian bowlers with her explosive knock to help West Indies overhaul the 160-run target with 26 balls to spare. Notably, it was West Indies women's first win over Women in Blue in T20Is since 2016.
West Indies thrash India by 9 wickets in 2nd T20I
Hayley Matthews-led West Indies staged a remarkable comeback in the second T20I to avenge their loss in series opener. Captain Hayley Matthews was the star of the show, scoring an unbeaten yet blistering 85 runs off 47 balls which was coupled with two wickets, which earned her the Player of the Match award.
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India, led by Smriti Mandhana in the absence of injured captain Harmanpreet Kaur, posted a respectable total of 159/9. But the target wasn't suffice for the resurgent West Indies women.
West Indies openers, Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph (38 off 22) laid the foundation for the chase with a 65-run opening stand. The duo, particularly aggressive in the powerplay, scored 55 runs in the first six overs. After Qiana Joseph's dismissal, Matthews continued partnered with Campbelle (29 off 26) and continued her blitzkrieg until the won the match.
Smriti Mandhana's 62-run knock goes in vain
India, despite a shaky start, recovered well, largely due to the efforts of captain Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh . The top order struggled, with Uma Chetry, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Raghvi Bist departing early, leaving India at 48/3 in the 9th over. However, Mandhana, who was dropped thrice, capitalized on her luck and scored a crucial 62 runs off 41 balls.
After Mandhana's dismissal, Richa Ghosh took over, launching a brutal assault on the inexperienced West Indies spinners. Her aggressive batting which saw her scoring a quickfire 32 off 17 balls helped India cross 150-run mark. However, Deandra Dottin's impressive penultimate over, which included Ghosh's wicket, restricted India to 159.
Deandra Dottin (2/14) and Chinelle Henry (2/37) were the pick of the bowlers West Indies, while captain Hayley Matthews (2/36) also contributed with two wickets.
India and West Indies will now lock horns with each other in the T20I series decider which is slated to be played on December 19.
