After a disappointing Australia tour, India Women started their home WT20I series against West Indies in a powerful way by securing a 49-run win in the three-match WT20I series opener. 

At the DY Patil Stadium, India Women captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat first. While India Women scored their third-highest WT20I total of 195/4 in 20 overs, they restricted West Indies Women to 146/7 in 20 overs. 

See Also: Smriti Mandhana creates history with her fourth WODI century in 2024

Smriti Mandhana hit 28th WT20I half-century

Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Uma Chetry provided a powerful start for the hosts with 50/0. Although Chetry was out soon after the powerplay, vice-captain Mandhana continued her strong batting performance with Jemimah Rodrigues. They had an 81-run partnership for the second wicket. 

While Mandhana was out after scoring 54 off 33 balls with the help of seven fours and two sixes, Rodrigues continued her dominant batting. Mandhana recorded her 28th WT20I half-century, second most 50+ scores in WT20I history, just below New Zealand Women batter Suzie Bates' 29 times 50+ score. Also, it was Mandhana's sixth WT20I 50+ score in 2024, which is the joint second-most 50+ WT20I score in a calendar year.

Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh had a powerful cameo with 20 runs in 14 balls with the help of two fours and one six. Also, the skipper Harmanpreet Kaur scored 13 not out off 11 balls with one four. 

Jemimah Rodrigues managed her best WT20I score in India

Jemimah Rodrigues completed her 12th WT20I half-century in just 28 balls, which recorded her fastest WT20I fifty. In the last four overs, India Women added 40 runs. She scored 73 runs off 35 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes, which was her third-highest WT20I score but the highest WT20I score in India. 

Among the Caribbean bowlers, only Karishma Ramharack shined with the ball as she had the bowling figures 4-0-18-2.

Only Qiana Joseph and Deandra Dottin produced some fightback 

In reply, West Indies Women lost their first two wickets before completing the seventh over. While the skipper and opener Hayley Matthews was out in the second over after scoring only one run, Shemaine Campbelle was bowled for 13 runs. 

Another opener Qiana Joseph and the no.4 batter Deandra Dottin had a brief fiery partnership which helped them to stay in the game strongly. They had a 44-run partnership in just 18 balls. Indian bowler Titas Sadhu, who already dismissed Matthews, timely dismissed 49 off 33 balls with the help of five fours and three sixes. Since that wicket, only Dottin fought hard but she couldn't get proper support from the other end.

Dottin scored 52 runs off 28 balls with the help of four fours and three sixes before Sadhu dismissed her to end the last hope for the visitors. Although Sadhu conceded 37 runs in her four overs, she took three important wickets to secure India's comfortable win. Also, Deepti Sharma (2/21) and Radha Yadav (2/28) bagged two wickets each.