India whitewash WI 5-0

Providence (Guyana), Nov 21

The Indian women’s cricket team completed a 5-0 series whitewash of West Indies with a 61-run triumph in the fifth and final T20I, courtesy half-centuries from Veda Krishnamurthy and Jemimah Rodrigues and a clinical show by the bowlers.

Rodrigues (50) and Krishnamurthy (57*) added 117 runs for the third wicket as the Indian women scored 134/3 after electing to bat. The decision seemed to have backfired when India were reduced to 17/2 in the fourth over with Shafali Verma (9) and captain Smriti Mandhana (7) getting out cheaply. But the Rodrigues-Krishnamurthy duo steadied the innings and took the side to a decent total. Rodrigues needed 56 balls for her 50, which was studded with three boundaries, while Krishnamurthy’s unbeaten 57 came off 48 deliveries, which included four hits to the fence.

West Indies were restricted by the hosts to 73/7 in their 20 overs. Opener Kyshona Knight was the top-scorer with 22 while Shemaine Campbelle remained not out on 19. For India, off-spinner Anuja Patil grabbed two wickets for just three runs while Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav, Pooja Vastrakar and Harleen Deol took one wicket each.

Brief Scores: India: 134/3 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 50, Veda Krishnamurthy 57*; Hayley Matthews 1/23); West Indies: 73/7 in 20 overs (Kyshona Knight 22; Anuja Patil 2/3). — PTI