Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
20 | 6 Runs | WI-W: 157/9 (61 runs required, RR: 7.85)

  • Afy Fletcher5 (7b)
  • Karishma Ramharack3 (6b)
  • Deepti Sharma4-0-31-1
  • Saima Thakor4-0-33-0

10:58pm Mandhana goes up to collect the trophy and asks Harmanpreet, the full-time skipper to join her. Harmanpreet then takes hold of the trophy and hands it over to Bist, who was so impressive today in her cameo. The entire Indian team sports a spile posing with the silverware and that is a fitting end to a series that had so many positives for them.

That, though, does bring us to the end of our coverage. We hope you enjoyed it and we will be back when these teams take each other on in the ODIs, starting Sunday. Until then, this is goodbye from Chandan and myself. Take care, folks!

Smriti Mandhana, the India captain is also the Player of the Series: After the last match, I told the girls it has been five years that we have not won a T20I series. That does not reflect the team we are. I told them that today, we have an opportunity to do that and we just want to keep doing the right things (moving forward). (On her batting) The batting line-up we had, there were a few youngsters coming in, so there was a bit of added responsibility and that kind of thing goes well if you really put your head into it, and when I do that, I probably bat better. We lost all three tosses, so had to bat first and that is the harder thing to do (here). Really happy we could put up (a score) and loved the way Richa batted (smiles). Harman has been a pillar in the middle order. Whenever she is there, you know that if something happens, she will be there. The girls stepped up beautifully. The way Raghvi batted was impressive. She came in with lots of intent and hitting her fourth or fifth ball for six, I would not have been able to do that in my second match (smiles). Richa's innings was also amazing, as it was the other day, but could not appreciate that unfortunately because of the result.

Richa Ghosh, Player of the Match: We got a good start, the way everyone batted. I just wanted to continue that and whenever the ball was in my slot, I tried to hit it. In the nets, I think about the match and try to clear (the fence), if the ball is in my slot, whether it is the first ball or the last ball, it does not matter. It feels very good when you contribute (towards such a win and such a series victory).

Hayley Matthews, West Indies captain: (What went wrong) We probably did not bowl as well as we wanted to. It was one of those wickets where we had a very small margin for error. We were not on it with the ball and missed our lengths more often than we wanted. We wanted to come out with high energy and that was a non-negotiable for us. (On what they could have done better) Being more disciplined and we had some periods that let us down. We have done pretty well to get some good totals. So much we can take from it (this series) - the way Henry was able to bat, and how Dottin played, those were some positives we can take.

Saima Thakor: This is a very good bunch to play alongside and the vibe is very good. We did the execution part well and I am happy I could execute well for the team. We had that belief that we are going to defend this target. The dew factor, we did not think about it much and tried to execute what we had planned. I have been practicing that (back-of-the-hand slower ball) and was thinking if I should bowl it or not. It was required on these wickets and it really helped me. (On if the dew was lesser tonight) It was comparatively lesser and that really helped us.

10:29pm A commanding and clinical victory. At the half-way stage, it felt India had enough and that shone through in the second innings. Matthews and Dottin got a few boundaries away to cause a few furrowed brows, but they were always playing catch-up. Henry's cameo was another bright spot for the visitors, but tonight belonged to India.

Speaking of India, they were on fire in the field, stopping boundaries and runs everywhere, and holding onto most of the chances that came their way. Radha was the most successful of their bowlers, bagging four, with Renuka also proving very frugal. In fact, Saima was the only bowler to not pick up a wicket.

19.6
0
Sharma to Fletcher, no run, There it is! Five years of jostle and now, finally unbridled joy! India win a women's T20I series at home for the first time since October 2019, and they have deserved every bit of this victory! Slanted in full on off. Fletcher knocks it down the ground and that brings to an end what was a superlative performance. In a decider no less, and India have won a deciding T20I for the first time since 2011, when they last beat....West Indies. A bit of déjà vu from that perspective for West Indies, but on the big day, in terms of this series, they were thoroughly outplayed!
19.6
1w
Sharma to Fletcher, 1 wide, and again. Deepti fires another down leg, and that is another wide. Not sure what she is trying to do here
19.6
1w
Sharma to Fletcher, 1 wide, slides this down leg side and this is an anti-climax. A final bit of exercise for the umpire
19.5
1
Sharma to Ramharack, 1 run, slowed up on a length outside off. Ramharack skips down the track and chips it towards long off, who gets it to Deepti at the other end, who then tries to catch the batter out at the batter's end and hurls it towards Ghosh. Ghosh is not best pleased with that, it must be said, because that was a wild throw
19.4
1
Sharma to Fletcher, 1 run, very full on leg stump. Fletcher tucks it off her toes towards deep square leg
19.3
1
Sharma to Ramharack, 1 run, shortish outside off. Ramharack hangs back and slaps it towards long off
19.2
1
Sharma to Fletcher, 1 run, floated up full on off. Fletcher gets down on one knee and hoicks it towards deep square leg
19.1
0
Sharma to Fletcher, no run, darted in full on leg stump. Fletcher swings at it and does so in vain. Gets rapped on the pads and Deepti, after some initial excitement, tones it down

Last over coming up. Deepti to bowl

END OF OVER:
19 | 4 Runs | WI-W: 151/9 (67 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.94, RRR: 67.00)

  • Afy Fletcher3 (3b)
  • Karishma Ramharack1 (4b)
  • Saima Thakor4-0-33-0
  • Radha Yadav4-0-29-4
18.6
1
Thakor to Fletcher, 1 run, full outside off. Fletcher has a pop at it and drags it towards deep mid wicket
18.5
1
Thakor to Ramharack, 1 run, off-pace again, on a back of a length on leg stump. Ramharack tugs it towards deep backward square leg
18.4
0
Thakor to Ramharack, no run, another superbly-disguised slower ball on a length outside leg. Ramharack continues swinging and she continues missing
18.3
0
Thakor to Ramharack, no run, dug into the track on middle and leg. Ramharack has a wild swish at it and only connects with fresh air
18.2
0
Thakor to Ramharack, no run, back-of-the-hand slower ball on a length outside off. Ramharack, having advanced, has to wait an eternity for it. Misses her flick still and gets pinged on the pads

Ramharack on strike

18.1
1
Thakor to Fletcher, 1 run, full toss outside off. Fletcher swings at it and cloths it towards long on
18.1
1w
Thakor to Fletcher, 1 wide, goes for the glory ball. Tries the leg-stump yorker but spears it just down leg. No bat on ball, and the umpire calls it a wide

Saima to bowl the 19th

END OF OVER:
18 | 5 Runs 2 Wkts | WI-W: 147/9 (71 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.16, RRR: 35.50)

  • Afy Fletcher1 (1b)
  • Radha Yadav4-0-29-4
  • Deepti Sharma3-0-25-1
17.6
W
Yadav to Zaida James, OUT, Ghosh and Radha are convinced, but the umpire is not! India review! Angled across full outside off. James goes for the booming drive and there seems to be a noise as the ball passes the bat. Was it of bat hitting the ground, or did the ball graze the outside edge? Well, Ghosh, after her error in judgment earlier in the evening, gets this right. A spike as the ball is next to the bat, and the bat, at that point, was not hitting the ground either. Decision overturned, and India have their ninth!

Zaida James c †Ghosh b Yadav 7 (9m 8b 1x4 0x6) SR: 87.50

17.5
4
Yadav to Zaida James, FOUR, shortish outside off. James throws her hands at it and gets an under-edge that nutmegs Ghosh and then beats Deepti in a race to the fence. Streaky, but James will not mind one bit!
17.4
0
Yadav to Zaida James, no run, fired in full on the stumps. James pokes it back to the bowler
17.3
1
Yadav to Fletcher, 1 run, full on leg stump. Fletcher turns it into the mid wicket region and gets off the mark

Fletcher is the new batter in

17.2
W
Yadav to Gajnabi, OUT, catch it is the cry, and that is exactly what Sajana does at long off! Dangles the carrot just outside off and Gajnabi bites. She hares down the track, trying to go downtown but only gets the height she wants. Not enough distance and Sajana, while looking over at the ropes, makes no mistake. West Indies spiraling towards a series defeat!

S Gajnabi c Sajana b Yadav 3 (6m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 60.00

17.1
0
Yadav to Gajnabi, no run, back of a length outside off. Gajnabi taps it back towards the bowler

END OF OVER:
17 | 4 Runs | WI-W: 142/7 (76 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.35, RRR: 25.33)

  • Shabika Gajnabi3 (3b)
  • Zaida James3 (5b)
  • Deepti Sharma3-0-25-1
  • Radha Yadav3-0-24-2
16.6
1
Sharma to Gajnabi, 1 run, shortish on middle and leg. Gajnabi heaves it towards deep backward square leg
16.5
1
Sharma to Zaida James, 1 run, back of a length on leg stump. James goes back and nudges it into the mid wicket region
16.4
1
Sharma to Gajnabi, 1 run, full just outside off. Gajnabi advances and drills it towards long on
16.3
1
Sharma to Zaida James, 1 run, floated up full on off. James stretches forward and plonks it over the bowler's head for a single

WI Women 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st20HK MatthewsQ Joseph
2nd37DJS DottinHK Matthews
3rd5DJS DottinSA Campbelle
4th34SA CampbelleCA Henry
5th33CA HenryNK Crafton
6th7NK CraftonAA Alleyne
7th1NK CraftonS Gajnabi
8th5S GajnabiZaida James
9th5ASS FletcherZaida James
10th10ASS FletcherK Ramharack