Shafali, Smriti secure easy win over WI

Gros Islet (St Lucia), Nov 10  

The opening duo of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana hammered scintillating half-centuries as the Indian women’s team notched up a comfortable 84-run win over hosts West Indies in the first T20I here. The 15-year-old Shafali and Mandhana shared a record 143-run opening partnership as India posted 185/4.

The visitors then returned to restrict West Indies for 101/9 to complete the win. Pacer Shikha Pandey (2/22) and spin duo of Radha Yadav (2/10) and Poonam Yadav (2/24) claimed two wickets each, while both Deepti Sharma (1/15) and Pooja Vastrakar (1/21) accounted for one wicket each.

Put in to bat, Shafali, playing only her fifth T20I, smashed six boundaries and four sixes to notch up her maiden international half-century. Smriti matched her younger partner, smashing 11 fours in her 46-ball innings as India cruised to 102/0 in 10 overs. The duo recorded the highest partnership for any wicket by an Indian pair in T20Is, bettering the 130 amassed by Thirush Kamini and Punam Raut against Bangladesh in 2013. Shafali was the first to go when she was dismissed by Shakera Selman in the 16th over. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur then produced a 13-ball 21, while Veda Krishnamurthy provided the late charge with a 7-ball 15 to take India to a challenging score. 

For the hosts, Selman and Anisa Mohammad snared two wickets each, while Chinelle Henry bled 26 from the only over she bowled. — PTI

Brief scores: India: 185/4 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 73, Smriti Mandhana 67; Anisa Mohammed 2/35, Shakera Selman 2/36); West Indies: 101/9 in 20 overs (Shemaine Campbelle 33; Radha Yadav 2/10, Shikha Pandey 2/22)

Teen wonders

Shafali Verma has become the youngest Indian to score a 50 in international cricket. The youngest six: 

• Shafali Verma :  15 years, 285 days
• Thirush Kamini:  16 years 138 days
• Mithali Raj:  16 years 205 days
• S Tendulkar:  16 years 213 days
• Rajani Venugopal:  17 years 36 days
• Smriti Mandhana:  17 years 187 days