CAPE TOWN: Off-spinner Deepti Sharma set up a second successive win for India in the Women’s T20 World Cup with a match-changing spell against the West Indies at Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday.

India won by seven wickets to join England at the top of Group 2.

West Indies were restricted to 118 for six with Sharma taking three for 15, in the process becoming the first Indian player to take 100 wickets in T20 internationals.

India had slipped to 43 for three in reply but captain Harmanpreet Kaur (33) and rising star Richa Ghosh (44 not out) took India to the brink victory with a partnership of 72 for the fourth wicket.

Sharma made two crucial breakthroughs after West Indies reached 78 for one, dismissing former captain Stafanie Taylor and Shemaine Campbelle in the space of four balls after the pair had put on 74 for the second wicket.

Campbelle (30) attempted a reverse sweep and Smriti Mandhana, back in action after missing India’s win against Pakistan on Sunday because of a finger injury, took a good catch diving forward at backward point.

Taylor, in her second match since suffering a back injury last September, scored 42 from 40 balls before falling leg before on review three balls after Campbelle’s dismissal.

There was concern for the West Indies later when Taylor was stretchered off eight overs into India’s innings after going down in pain after bending to field a ball.

Shafali Verma hit four boundaries as she and Mandhana scored 28 off the first two overs of India’s reply.

But a switch to spin paid off as Karishma Ramharack and fellow off-spinner, captain Hayley Matthews, slowed the scoring and took three wickets for 15 runs in the next 5.1 overs.

Ramharack, who did not play in her team’s defeat against England on Saturday, took two for 14 in four accurate overs. She had Mandhana stumped for 10 and Verma caught at deep square leg for 28.

AUSTRALIA DOWN BD

On Tuesday, fast bowler Darcie Brown and leg-spinner Georgia Wareham set up a second successive win for Australia, who beat Bangladesh by eight wickets at St George’s Park.

But Bangladesh made the defending champions work for their victory, which came with 10 balls to spare.

Brown took two for 23 while leg-spinner Georgia Wareham had a successful return to international cricket, taking three for 20 in a Bangladesh total of 107 for seven.

Captain Nigar Sultana scored 57 for Bangladesh but lacked support. She came to the crease after Brown had reduced Bangladesh to 11 for two in the fourth over and was the mainstay of the innings until the penultimate over when she lofted a catch to cover off off-spinner Ash Gardner.

Nigar hit a six off leg-spinner Alana King and seven fours in a 50-ball innings but none of her team-mates could make more than Shorna Akter’s 12 against Australia’s varied attack.

Beth Mooney failed for the second successive match, caught at slip off 18-year-old fast bowler Marufa Akter for two. Alyssa Healy (37) and captain Meg Lanning (48 not out) put on 69 for the second wicket but failed to dominate against dogged Bangladesh bowling and fielding.

Marufa, who took three for 23 against Sri Lanka on Sunday, had another impressive outing, taking one for 18 in her four overs.

Brief scores: WEST INDIES: 118-6 in 20 overs (S. Taylor 42, S. Campbelle 30; D. Sharma 3-15); INDIA: 119-4 in 18.1 overs (H. Kaur 33, R. Ghosh 44 not out; K. Ramharack 2-14)BANGLADESH 107-7 in 20 overs (Nigar Sultana 57; D. Brown 2-23, G. Wareham 3-20); AUSTRALIA 111-2 in 18.2 overs (A. Healy 37, M. Lanning 48 not out)

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2023