FATULLAH, Bangladesh, CMC – West Indies sustained their impressive showing in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier with a 58-run win over Sri Lanka here yesterday as they romped to the final for an appointment with Pakistan.
In recording their fifth win in as many matches, West Indies again batted solidly and bowled with discipline at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium.
After winning the toss on what was described as a good pitch, West Indies made a challenging 235 for five off their 50 overs and then restricted the Sri Lankans to 177 for seven.
West Indies took their time to get into the swing of things with Stafanie Taylor, captain Merissa Aguilleira and top-scorer Deandra Dottin all hitting half-centuries.
Jamaican Taylor, the ICC Women’s Cricket-of-the-Year, made a well-constructed 58 off 99 balls with six boundaries – the 11th half-century of her career.
Dottin, who hails from Barbados and is one of the leading power-hitters in the women’s game, cracked seven fours and two sixes in a perfectly timed 73 off 86 balls. It was her best score in ODIs for West Indies and earned her the Player-of-the-Match award.
Aguilleira, a Trinidadian in her second knock of the tournament, proved to be the perfect finisher as she hit four boundaries and a six in a run-a-ball 52 not out – her second half-century in her 40th One-Day International.
For Sri Lanka, opener Chamari Jayangani topscored with 56 off 89 balls, striking eight boundaries.
At one stage they were 107 for seven in the 35th over before Suwini de Alwis, who made 39 not out and Chamani Seneviratna (28 not out) brought some respectability.
Off-spinner Anisa Mohammed of Trinidad & Tobago continued to impress with figures of three for 29 off six overs, along with effecting the run out of opener Yashoda Mendis for 20.
Left-arm medium-pacer Stacy-Ann King of Jamaica, picked up two for 30 off ten overs.
Speaking after the match, West Indies team coach Sherwin Campbell was pleased with the result and that fact that his players again showed more improvement.
“More and more we are seeing players coming to the fore and this is great. Before, it was one or two players who would do most of the work and others would chip in and make vital contributions, but now others are stepping up to the plate and performing and winning matches for us with both bat and ball,” the former West Indies opening batsman and vice-captain said.
”Taylor is the leading player in the world and again she was a good example as she led from the front. Deandra played very well today. It was an innings of great maturity. We were under a little bit of pressure early. She recognised that as one of the main players in the team she had to make a major contribution and it was quite clear she decided to spend time at the
crease and enjoy her innings.”
The 20-year-old Dottin shared two crucial partnerships. She added 68 in 18.1 overs for the third wicket with the in-form Taylor and then posted 70 off 11.1 overs for the fourth wicket with the livewire Aguilleira.
Campbell was also full of praise for the captain, who gave the innings a late push as 41 runs came in the last five overs.
“The captain did not get many chances to bat earlier and today she took her chance and played very well. She batted positively and when she needed to increase the run rate she stepped up.”
The final is slated for tomorrow at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. The winners will claim fifth spot in the ICC Women’s One-Day International Team Rankings. The Pakistanis reached the final with a surprise three-wicket victory over the previously unbeaten South Africa.
Looking ahead to the final, Campbell said: “We beat Pakistan quite easily in the preliminary but we won’t be taking anything for granted. We don’t want a slip-up at this late stage. We came here to win six games and we have won five so far. I will caution the girls against celebrating too early. We still have a job to do. There is a trophy to win for West Indies cricket.”
The West Indies will have a full training session today.
