Stafanie Taylor, the West-Indies vice-captain at the ICC Women’s World Cup and the current ICC Player of the Year, is also a dreamer. “I actually dreamt of scoring 94 and told my roommate, Shermaine Campbell, about it. She asked me how I was going to get those six runs,” revealed the West Indies opener, explaining her mindset going into a must-win game against Sri Lanka. “By then I had woken up and forgot about it.”
She exceeded her dream beyond expectations, a career-best 171 off 137 balls and almost in sight of a double century in a 50-over game. “Shermaine came to bat at No. 3 and reminded me about it,” said Stafanie, who missed a double century when in dominant position over the Sri Lankan bowling. “I got tired.”
Her knock was laced with 18 fours and two sixes. The 18 boundaries stroked by the opener equalled the fours hit by the entire Lankan batting line-up subsequently.
West Indies ended up lashing 34 fours and seven sixes during the 50 overs onslaught. Stafanie’s 50 came off 52 balls, 100 in 97 balls and 150 off 122.
The West Indies’ run feast on Sunday, sparked by Stafanie’s knock and boosted by Deandra Dottin, Merissa Aguilleira, helped it win by 209 runs and top Group ‘A’ on the basis of a superior run rate.
India, England and Sri Lanka (two points each after two games) and one tie left follow in that order. Three teams progress to the Super Six.
