West Indies’ U19 Women’s Team secures Thrilling victory against US

The West Indies under-19 women’s team labored to a thrilling five run win in their rain-affected third T20 match against the US, which thereby gave them a 2-1 lead in this five-match T20 series.

The match was played at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in UWI, St Augustine, and was reduced to 11 overs a side as the heavens opened up. US Captain Anika Kolan had won the toss and sent in West Indies to set a target of 72 to win.

All looked very encouraging for Anika’s decision as the ace for the US, Aditi Chudasama, struck early by sending back Windies Captain Samara Ramnath without scoring. It was Asabi Callender and Naijanni Cumberbatch who anchored the innings with a 40-run partnership with scores of 33 and 26, respectively.

Despite a middle-order collapse, their efforts ensured a challenging target for the visitors. Chetna Pagydyala and Dishi Dhingra also started in a very aggressive fashion but were pegged back to be 28 without loss. Ramnath made up for her early sin with the ball to dismiss Pagydyala for 17.

The slide continued quickly as the US slipped to 35 for three. There was, however, the 26-run stand between Ritu Singh and Kolan toward the end, with the dismissal of the former in the penultimate over reducing the equation to 12 from the last eight balls.

There was some pressure when, needing ten off the last over, they lost Sasha Vallabhaneni to a run out; Pooja Shah scored only four runs from the next four balls after which Kolan got out. But the dash of Shah to hit a six off the final delivery was well caught diving at long-on by Abigail Bryce, as the home team edged past them.

For defending the total, Ramnath stood out with impressive figures of three for 12 from three overs. The West Indies will be hoping to wrap up the series with another win when they take on the USA at 10 am on July 25 in St Augustine.