A commanding victory for the hosts to go 1-0 up in the 3-match T20I series. The 'World Boss' was on a roll tonight and we hope you enjoyed our coverage, folks! For now, it's me Deepak Prakash signing off on behalf of co-commentator AkshayaKrishna Polya and scorer/analyst Ghanendra Singh Thakur. CHEERS!
Hayley Matthews (West Indies Women Captain): "Yeah, I think it was a pretty good overall game. They probably scored a bit more in the first innings than we anticipated or would have liked, especially given the position we had them in. However, the final 3 overs by Deandra and Cherry were really good, helping us pull it back. And then, of course, the way we performed with the bat was impressive.
(On Dottin) Yeah, she's obviously something very special, and I donât think many players in the womenâs game can do exactly what she did today, or what she consistently does. Itâs great to have her in our teamâsheâs just a special player who can come out and perform like that.
I think it was probably those middle overs where we werenât at our best, allowing them to score a few too many runs. Also, there were some opportunities in the field that we didnât capitalize on. So, yeah, those are two crucial areas we need to improve on. But overall, itâs been a really good start to the series.
Iâm very pleased with that. It was a bit scratchy at the beginning, but once I got into a good rhythm, especially with Qiana and Deandra going strong around me, I just focused on taking it to the end. I wanted to finish it off and help take the team home."
Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh Women Captain): "I think it makes a huge difference when Dottin comes to the crease and starts smashing sixes all over the ground. Things were going really well by the 10-over mark. After that, she stepped in and really showcased her character.
I think we need to work on that because, sometimes, what happens with playersâthough I donât think anyone drops catches intentionallyâis that it can impact the game. We have a very good fielding side, but I think it was just a bad day for us.
Yeah, I think there are a lot of positives we can take into the next game. The way we batted gave the team a lot of confidence in our batting ability. It was definitely something we really needed. So, we're looking forward to the next game."
Deandra Dottin (Player of the Match): "My emotions are quite straightforward. It always feels good to get out there, score some runs, and contribute to the team's performance. To be honest, the surface was excellentâa true batting track. It provided a good balance overall. I think restricting them to 140 was a great effort, giving us a manageable target to chase down.
Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get any wickets, but it was good to keep things tight and build pressure from one end. This allowed the other bowlers to capitalize and pick up wickets.
Itâs all about keeping your eyes on the ball, watching it all the way, connecting with it, and then clearing the fence."
Player of the Match: Deandra Dottin
Time for the post-match presentation.....
6:15 PM IST, 8:45 PM Local Time: A comprehensive victory for the West Indies Women as they made 144 look like a mediocre total, chasing it down with 8 wickets in hand and 19 balls to spare. They go 1-0 up in the 3-match T20I series.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, Bangladesh Women posted a hefty 144/3 in 20 overs. Their openersâDilara Akter and Sobhana Mostaryâ-took their time to settle on the crease but failed to convert it into a big score.
Sharmin Akhter and Nigar Sultana forged an 82-run third-wicket partnership and laid a good foundation for the visitors. Sharmin departed for 37 runs but skipper Sultana remained unbeaten on 53 runs and propelled her side to 144/3 in 20 overs. Cherry Ann Fraser, Hayley Matthews, and Afy Fletcher bagged one wicket each for the hosts. In response to 144 runs, Qiana Joseph and Hayley Matthews provided a solid start for the hosts. The duo scored briskly from the outset and added 63 runs for the opening wicket, with Joseph falling for 29 runs.
Shemaine Campbelle failed to impress with the bat and departed for just 3 runs. Deandra Dottin entered the fray at number four and took matters into her own hands. The right-hander smashed the bowlers to all parts of the ground, while Matthews focused on rotating the strike and anchored the innings with an unbeaten 60. Meanwhile, Dottin went on a six-hitting spree, reaching her fifty in just 21 ballsâthe fastest by any West Indies Women player. Her destructive knock propelled the hosts to victory with 19 balls to spare.
Fahima Khatun was the only bowler to taste success for Bangladesh Women, claiming both wickets that fell in the second innings.