Cape Town: India take on the West Indies in the Women’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup on Wednesday, riding high on the confidence of their first-match thrashing of Pakistan. The match starts at 6.30 pm in Cape Town. Vice-captain Smriti Manthana, who missed the game against Pakistan due to a finger injury, is likely to return to the playing XI.
In the Twenty20 World Cup, India achieved their biggest win in the chase against Pakistan. However, India has weaknesses in bowling. India conceded 91 runs in the last 10 overs.
The batting performance of Jemima Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh saved India in the match. Jemima scored 53 off 38 balls and Richa remained unbeaten on 31 off 20 balls. Three fours by Richa in the 18th over turned the tide. But the other batsmen can also recover their form. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur threw away the wicket. In Manthana’s absence, Yastika Bhatia, who was in the opener, could not find a rhythm. Shafali Verma also struggles to play big shots.
The game is crucial for Windies who lost their first match against England. If they lose to India too, their semi-final chances will end. India had beaten the West Indies twice in the tri-nation series held just before the World Cup. The team led by Hayley Matthews has been in poor form in recent times.
