West Indies lived up to its reputation as World champions as it posted a comfortable six-wicket win against India in the first tie of the three-match T-20 series at the Mulapadu cricket playfield here on Friday.
A swashbuckling 90 (51b, 12x4, 3x6) by skipper Stafanie Taylor and her 70-run third-wicket partnership with Merissa Aguilleria saw the visitor reaching the target with five balls to spare.
The Indian bowling looked sedentary with the spinners giving enough room and also bowling too many good length deliveries, allowing the batters to accumulate runs in a clinical manner.
Taylor made mincemeat of the attack by whacking three huge sixes and 12 rasping boundaries. As many as seven bowlers were deployed to halt the Windies juggernaut, but in vain.
Earlier, India, electing to bat, made 150 for four in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to an 88-run third-wicket partnership between skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (68 runs, 50b, 6x4, 1x6) and Veda Krishnamurthy (50 runs, 46b, 4x6, 1x6).
Opener Smirti Mandhana gave her a team a flying start, smacking a six and four in her brief 13-ball stay. With Vanitha departing in the third over, the onus was on the skipper and the in-form Veda, who responded well clearing fence with their attractive strokes.
India registered 48 runs in the last five overs and the final over saw India scoring 19 runs, off a Chedean Nation over with Harman and Jhulan unleashing three huge sixes.
India meets Windies in the second match on Sunday.
The scores:
India: V.R. Vanitha lbw b Selman 3, Smriti Mandhana c Merissa b Deandra 11, Veda Krishnamurthy c Kycia b Selman 50, Harmanpreet Kaur (not out) 68, Jhulan Goswami c Selman b Nation 11, Anuja Patil (not out) 0; Extras (nb-1, w-4, Ib-2): 7; Total (for four wkts. in 20 overs): 150.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-28, 3-116, 4-137.
West Indies bowling: Shakera Selman 4-0-26-2, Deandra Dottin 4-1-19-1, Hayley Matthews 4-0-14-0, Anisa Mohammad 2-0-19-0, Afy Fletcher 2-0-26-0, Chedean Nation 4-0- 44-1.
West Indies: Hayley Matthews c Ekta b Shikha 18, Stafanie Taylor b Shikha 90, Britney Cooper st. Nuzhat b Preeti 16, Merissa Aguilleria c Vanitha b Shikha 15, Deandra Dottin (not out) 11, Kycia Knight (not out) 2; Extras (nb-2): 2; Total (for four wtks. in 19.1 overs): 154.
Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-71, 3-141, 4-142.
India bowling: Jhulan Goswami 4-0-29-0, Shikha Pandey 4-0-31-3, Ekta Bisht 2-0-16-0, Anuja Patil 3.1-0-27-0, Poonam Yadav 2-0-19-0, Preeti Bose 3-0-20-1, Harmanpreet Kaur 1-0-12-0.
Toss: India.
West Indies won by six wickets .
