DUBAI: West Indies trounced Pakistan to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series on Thursday in the first-ever Women’s One-day International to be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Deandra Dottin and Afy Fletcher were the star performers with the ball as Pakistan were rolled over for 70in 29.5 overs in reply to West Indies 216-5 in the allotted 50 overs.

Player-of-the-match Dottin and Fletcher took three wickets each to restrict Pakistan batters in their pursuit of the target.

Pakistan were led by Javeria Khan, regular captain Bismah Maroof was rested for the ODI series opener. Javeria scored 21 while Nahida Khan top-scored for the hosts with a 23-run contribution.

Nahida retired hurt after she was hit on the visor of her helmet, while Aiman Anwar who hurt her hamstring during the West Indies batting did not turn up to bat. Pakistan’s innings ended in the 30th over with the hosts 146-run behind the West Indies total.

Earlier, the West Indies innings was built around a 143-run stand for the second wicket between captain Stafanie Taylor and Dottin. Taylor, who won the toss and opted to bat, joined Dottin after the loss of opener Kycia Knight for a duck in the sixth over.

Taylor fell to Kainat Imtiaz after scoring 58 off 97 balls with her innings including four fours.

Dottin missed out on her hundred by a mere four runs, the T20I player-of-the-series continued her prolific batting form before she was also dismissed by Kainat for a 139-ball 96 that included eight fours and two sixes.

After the departure of Dottin and Taylor, Shermaine Campbelle (26 not out) and Chinelle Henry (18 not out) took the score past the 200-run mark.

Kainat was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers as the right-armer took three wickets for 49 runs in her nine over spell.

Javeria, meanwhile, was disappointed at her team’s loss. “We started off very well but failed to sustain the momentum with the ball as well as in our batting effort. Losing Nahida was unfortunate for us and had a major impact in our chase.”

Dottin expressed her delight at her match winning contribution for her team. “It was a good game for me and yes there are days when I feel I can do anything on the field, batting with Stafanie was all about occupying the crease and we succeeded in building a good total with that partnership.”

The second match takes place at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Saturday.

Summarised scores:

WEST INDIES 216-5 in 50 overs (Deandra Dottin 96, Stafanie Taylor 58, Shermaine Campbelle 26 not out; Kainat Imtiaz 3-49); PAKISTAN 70 in in 29.5 overs (Nahida Khan 23 retired hurt, Javeria Khan 21; Deandra Dottin 3-14, Afy Fletcher 3-17).

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2019