IND Women vs WI Women 2024/25, India Women vs West Indies Women 3rd ODI, Vadodara Match Report, December 27, 2024

Innings break West Indies 162 (Henry 61, Campbelle 46, Deepti 6-31, Renuka 4-29) vs India

Henry, playing her first ODI of the series, was in trouble early on as she came to bat in the fifth over with the score at 9 for 3. Renuka proved threatening with her late movement and was rewarded with a four-for, two of them in the very first over.

Her first was Qiana Joseph when she tickled Richa Ghosh with a down leg. But when umpire K Swaroopanand raised his finger almost as an afterthought, it caused a huge surprise in the Indian camp as they hardly lodged an appeal. Off the last ball, Renuka had Hayley Matthews, the centurion of the precious ODI, with a superb in-ducker that turned wickedly inside and smashed the stumps.

The West Indies’ hopes of revival now rested on Deandra Dottin, but she too didn’t last long. This resulted from the desire to transfer the attack to Renuka. But her inward movement and angles were to blame for Dottin as she bowled away and fell to the leg side for 5.

Henry struggled to get the bat to the ball and took 3/17 as India kept up the pressure. And then out of nowhere she fired a shot for six that seemed to reinvigorate her as she took on left-arm debutant Tanuja Kanwar.

It was almost as if that shot unleashed her to pull out some pretty shots from her repertoire – she played some nice little cuts and glides, most impressive was the amount Renuka bowled when Harmanpreet Kaur brought her back and tried to nip the innings in the bud.

Henry was supported by Shemaine Campbelle, who was positive against spin. She took up the attack early on legspinner Priya Mishra and hit her for three boundaries in her second over. After using her feet to launch two stunning drives – one along the ground and the other through cover – she rocked back to pull Mishra for a third when she fell short.

That 91-run stand for the fourth wicket seemed to have invigorated as much as frustrated the visitors. This is when Deepti came into the picture and made a crucial contribution.

Campbell was consumed by bloodlust as she was lulled into the big shot by Deepti, only for Pratika Rawal to take a comfortable long-on catch. In the following over, Zaida James was brilliantly caught at slip by Harmanpreet as Deepti ran her out of the rough.

It could have been a triple whammy for India had Renuka not dropped the simplest return catch over a leading edge to relieve Aaliya Alleyne at 0. However, Alleyne only managed 21 when a tame chip fell to short midwicket. Alleyne’s wicket immediately followed Henry’s dismissal for a third ODI half-century when she was bowled by a straighter.

The West Indies lost their last five wickets for 21, failing to use their full over quota for the third innings in a row. This was the biggest challenge of all as they batted first in winter conditions where there was plenty of moisture which the fast bowlers used to their advantage.