2nd T20I: All-round Hayley outshines Mandhana as West Indies Women beat India by nine wickets

Navi Mumbai, Dec 17 (IANS) A brilliant all-round performance by skipper Hayley Matthews, who hammered an unbeaten 85 after claiming (2-36) as West Indies Women handed the Indian Women a nine-wicket thrashing with 26 balls remaining in the second Women's T20I of the three-match series at the Dr. D.Y. Patil Sports Academy here on Tuesday. With this, the West Indies Women levelled the series 1-1 as India had won the first match here on Sunday. 

Hayley Matthews blazed 17 fours as she struck a 47-ball 85 not out as the West Indies chased the target with ease as they reached 160/1 in 15.4 overs after the visitors rode on a fine bowling performance by Chinelle Henry (2-37), Deandra Dottin (2-14), Hayley Matthews (2-36) and Afy Fletcher (2-28) to restrict the hosts to 159/9. Opener Smriti Mandhana continued her good work as she scored a half-century but in the end that proved insufficient for India Women after the visitors elected to field first on winning the toss.

Chasing the target of 160, West Indies women got off to a good start as Hayley and Qiana Joseph raised 66 runs for the opening wicket in just seven overs. Qiana scored 38 off 28 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes before she was caught behind by Richa Ghosh off Saima Thakor.

Matthews then found a good partner in Shemaine Campbelle as they raised 94 runs for the unfinished second wicket partnership as they helped the West Indies women romp to a big win. Shemaine Campbelle remained unbeaten on 29 off 26 balls while Matthews completed her half-century in 31 balls as she went from strength to strength to help the visitors to victory.

Earlier, asked to bat first, the Indian women lost opener Uma Chetry for four with the score of six runs as she was bowled by Dottin with a delivery that pitched outside off-stump and nipped back in sharply.

Jemimah Rodrigues (13) and Raghvi Bist (5) also did not last long as India Women slumped to 48/3 in the ninth over. Mandhana and Deepti Sharma (17 off 15) added 66 runs for the fourth wicket to take the score to 104. In the process, Smriti Mandhana in 37 balls to add to the 54 she scored in the previous match that India won by 49 runs.

After Mandhana was sent back for 62 by Hayley Matthews, Deepti Sharma too did not last long. Richa Ghosh (32) kept the scoring going as the tail failed to wag and India managed a fighting total. However, it proved to be insufficient as Hayley ensured West Indies Women romped to victory.

Brief scores:

India Women 159/9m in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 62, Richa Ghosh 32; Chinelle Henry 2-37, Deandra Dottin 2-14, Hayley Matthews 2-36, Afy Fletcher 2-28) lost to West Indies Women 160/1 in 15.4 overs (Hayley Matthews 85 not out, Qiana Joseph 38; Saima Thakor 1-28) by nine wickets.