Women’s T20 WC: West Indies thrash Bangladesh, keep semis hopes alive

Sharjah, Oct 10 (IANS) The West Indies women remained on course for a place in the semifinals, coming up with an inspired display of power-hitting to outplay Bangladesh by eight wickets in a key Group B clash in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium here on Thursday. Both teams came into the game on two points with two games remaining, knowing that victory was crucial to keeping their semifinal qualification hopes alive.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews showed why her side is such a dangerous proposition, peppering the boundary in an inspired 22-ball 34 that helped break the back of a chase of 104.

The captain and her opening partner Stafanie Taylor put on 52 runs for the opening wicket before Matthews was cleaned up by Marufa Akter, with Taylor forced to retire hurt on 27. But the power kept on coming, as Shemaine Campbelle hit 21 from 16 before the phenomenal Deandra Dottin slammed 19 from just 7 deliveries to wrap up the win in 12.5 overs.

The margin and speed of the victory mean that West Indies go top of Group B on NRR, while Bangladesh now require something close to a miracle if they are to progress from Group B after losing two and winning one match out of three. They are played fourth with two teams behind West Indies, South Africa and England, all at four points.

Tasked with chasing down 104, Matthews and Taylor got West Indies off to a flier, giving themselves a few overs to bed in before unleashing a brutal display of hitting. The pair found the boundary with increasing regularity through the powerplay, with Matthews hitting two fours off Nahida Akter in an 11-run over that sparked the acceleration, before putting her foot down with a trio of boundaries off Fahima Khatun’s fifth over.

West Indies had halved the required total when Matthews’ marauding effort came to an abrupt end with her stumps castled by Marufa Akter, who let out a roar of celebration.

Campbelle’s promising knock of 21 (16) came to an end when she charged Nahida Akter and was stumped well out of her ground. Deandra Dottin finished the job in style, just as she had done against Scotland, slamming two big sixes in her blistering 19* (7) as West Indies wrapped up the win with 7.1 overs to spare.

However, the West Indies have a bigger concern after the match as Taylor was forced to retire due to injury having posted 27 (29). This setback could have further-reaching implications for them in the competition.

Earlier, West Indies captain Matthews won the toss and decided to have a bowl against Bangladesh at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

And an inspired stumping halted a strong start from the Bangladesh openers, as Shemaine Campbelle flashed over the bails after Shathi Rani (9) had overcommitted to a delivery from Karishma Ramharack. Ramharack struck again to remove the dangerous-looking Dilara Akter, who was cleaned up on 19 (from 18 balls), with Bangladesh reaching 58/2 at the midway point of their innings.

Captain Nigar Sultana received a reprieve when it initially looked like she had been stumped, only for replays to show that the keeper’s gloves were not fully behind the stumps, meaning a no ball was given.

The law in question, Law 27.3.1, reads: “The wicket-keeper shall remain wholly behind the wicket at the striker’s end from the moment the ball comes into play until a ball delivered by the bowler touches the bat or person of the striker or passes the wicket at the striker’s end or the striker attempts a run.”

Sultana played a key hand through the middle order, stabilising the innings that threatened to go off the rails when Afy Fletcher struck twice in two balls, dismissing Taj Nehar (1) before bowling Shorna Akter (0). But West Indies finished well, with Sultana (39 from 44) being one of three wickets to fall at the death as Bangladesh missed out on a late flurry, ending on 103/8.

Ramharack’s 4/17 were the pick of the figures, with Fletcher bagging 2/25 and Matthews coming back strong after an expensive first over to finish with 1/19 having gone for just four runs off the final over of the innings.

The win for West Indies leaves three teams tied on four points at the top of Group B, with West Indies gaining a net run rate advantage over South Africa that could yet prove crucial depending on results in the remaining three matches in the group.

–IANS

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