Indian Women have made a solid start to the Women’s World Cup 2017 campaign with a comprehensive 35-run victory over the hosts England. They will meet the West Indies women’s team in the next match on June 29 and it promises to be an absolute cracker with both sides having some quality players. However, the Indian eves hold a strong record when it comes to playing against the West Indies eves in World Cups.
They have played against each other in World Cups on five occasions previously and India have got the better of the Caribbean team on each occasion. Moreover, an overall record of 17 victories in 21 matches against the West Indies eves gives an idea about the superiority of the Indian team against their Caribbean counter-parts over the years.
Let us now have a look at five of those previous World Cup encounters when the Indian eves completely outclassed the West Indies team.
#1 At Nottingham- July 20,1993
It was the first ever match between the Indian and Windies eves in a World Cup. It was the third match of the tournament and West Indies women had opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Women’s ODI cricket was played in the 60-over format in those days. However, frequent rain interruptions had reduced the match to 52-overs a side.
Indian women rode on an unbeaten 84 from wicket-keeper- batter Anju Jain to post a total of 155/5 in 52.3 overs before rain interrupted the game. After the conditions became suitable to play again, the Windies women were given a revised target of 156 runs to chase in 52 overs. However, the Indian eves bowled their Caribbean counter-parts out for a paltry total of 92 runs in a space of 48.4 overs.
Slow left arm orthodox bowler Dianna Edulji was particularly impressive with bowling figures of 9-4-15-3. Shashi Gupta and Laya Francis also picked up identical figures of 2/15 as India won the match by 63 runs.
#2 At Faridabad- December 13, 1997
Their second World Cup encounter also turned out to be a similar affair like their first one. The same toss result, almost the same batting performance by India, almost the same batting performance by the Windies and similar victory margin as the previous encounter, giving a feeling of déjà vu.
The match was again affected by rain and was reduced to 40-overs a side. India posted a total of 145/7 in their 40 overs riding on Anju Jain's 42 (101) and Smitha Harikrishna’s 34 (48).
Although, the Windies bowlers did well to restrict the Indian batters to a very achievable target, the Windies batters failed to deal with the wrath of the Indian bowlers. It was Purnima Choudhary’s superb spell of 5/21 that rattled the Windies batting line up and thus forced them to collapse for a paltry total of 83 runs in 33.2 overs.
Deepa Marathe and Punam Raut also chipped in with a couple of wickets that helped India maintain their dominance over the Windies in World Cups. Choudhary was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ for her superb bowling spell which helped India to a 62-run victory.
#3 At Pretoria- April 1, 2005
The 23rd match of the 2005 edition of the Women’s World Cup saw one of the most comprehensive Indian victories over West Indies in the history of Women’s World Cup. Winning the toss, Indian captain Mithali Raj decided to bowl first. Jhulan Goswami and Neetu David then ran through the Windies batting order with spells of 4/16 and 3/11 respectively to bowl them out for 135 runs in 47.4 overs.
The Indian batters, on the other hand, made the chase look like a cake walk as they romped towards the target with 102 balls and eight wickets remaining. It was again Anju Jain, who turned out to be Windies’ tormentor as she played an exceptional innings of 68*(92).
Not only that, she stitched an opening stand of 107 runs with Jaya Sharma who was unfortunate to fall three runs short of a well-deserved 50. Nevertheless, India won the match comfortably by eight wickets in an edition in which they would later march into the final. Jhulan Goswami was adjudged the ‘Player of the match’ for her outstanding bowling spell of 4/16.
#4 At Sydney- March 19, 2009
India women’s team produced one of the most comprehensive, clinical and professional performances in the Super-Six stage of the 2009 World Cup against the Windies women’s team. The Windies’ decision of batting first after winning the toss backfired as they were bowled out for only 84 runs.
Leg break bowler Priyanka Roy was the one who broke the backbone of the Windies batting line up with a spell of 4/14. Amita Sharma was also impressive, ending up with bowling figures of 2/14 whereas Rumeli Dhar and Poonam Raut also chipped in with a wicket each.
The Indian eves made a shaky start to the chase, losing Anjum Chopra and Punam Raut for just 26 runs. However, opener Shulkasana Naik and middle order batter Mithali Raj took India to a comfortable victory by eight wickets and 193 balls remaining. Naik and Raj remained unbeaten on 39 and 33 respectively. Priyanka Roy was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ for her superb bowling spell.
#5 At Mumbai- January 31, 2013
It was India’s worst World Cup campaign ever as they finished in a dismal seventh position, that too at home. However, they made a good start to the tournament in the very first match of Group A as they beat the Windies by 105 runs. India were asked to bat first after losing the toss. Openers Murugesan Kamini and Punam Raut gave India a solid start with a stand of 175 runs.
Cameos from Jhulan Goswami (36 off 22) and Harmanpreet Kaur (36 of 21) helped India on to a big score of 284/6 in their 50 overs. The Windies, in reply, were bowled out for only 179 runs as a result of some tight bowling by the Indian eves.
N Niranjana was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 3/52 while Goswami and Gouher Sultana picked up a couple of wickets each. India thus won the match by 105 runs and Murugesan Kamini was adjudged the ‘Player of the match’ for her outstanding century.
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