India Women Warm Up Match: Bharati Fulmali’s unbeaten half-century and Shreyanka Patil’s four-wicket haul guide India to a convincing victory
The Indian women’s cricket team began its T20 World Cup preparations on a positive note with a comprehensive 26-run victory over West Indies in an official warm-up fixture held in Cardiff on Monday. A strong batting performance, followed by disciplined spin bowling, helped India secure an encouraging result in their opening practice game ahead of the tournament.
In the India women warm up match, India posted a challenging total of 179 for 8 in 20 overs before restricting West Indies to 153 for 8, despite a promising start from the Caribbean side.
Top-Order Provides Solid Foundation
India made an aggressive start after electing to bat first. Openers Shafali Verma and captain Smriti Mandhana quickly put pressure on the West Indies bowling attack, adding 59 runs for the first wicket in just over five overs.
Mandhana looked in excellent touch, scoring 39 runs from 23 deliveries with a series of confident strokes before being dismissed. Shafali continued the attacking approach and contributed a quick-fire 29 from only 13 balls, ensuring India maintained a high scoring rate during the powerplay.
Although Jemimah Rodrigues was unable to convert her start and departed for seven runs, India remained in control thanks to a valuable partnership in the middle order.
Bharati Fulmali Anchors the Innings
The highlight of India’s batting display came from Bharati Fulmali, who produced a composed and unbeaten knock under pressure. Teaming up with Yastika Bhatia, Fulmali helped rebuild the innings and added a crucial 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Yastika played a fluent innings of 36 from 26 balls before retiring out, while Fulmali remained unbeaten on 56 from 40 deliveries. Her innings combined sensible shot selection with timely boundaries, allowing India to push their total close to the 180-run mark.
The strong finish ensured India ended with 179 runs, a score that ultimately proved beyond West Indies despite favorable batting conditions.
Afy Fletcher Impresses With the Ball
West Indies leg-spinner Afy Fletcher emerged as the standout performer for her side. She delivered an effective spell, claiming four wickets while conceding only 23 runs from her four overs.
Fletcher removed several key Indian batters, including Richa Ghosh, Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil, helping slow India’s momentum during the latter stages of the innings.
Karishma Ramharack, Aaliyah Alleyne and Deandra Dottin also chipped in with one wicket each, but India’s batting depth allowed them to finish with a competitive total.
West Indies Start Well but Lose Momentum
Chasing 180, West Indies began steadily through experienced opener Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle. The pair added 63 runs for the opening wicket and briefly placed their side in a strong position.
Campbelle scored 25 runs from 22 balls before retiring out, while Dottin led the chase with an impressive 49 from 44 deliveries. However, once the opening partnership was broken, India’s bowlers tightened their grip on the contest.
West Indies struggled to maintain the required scoring rate as wickets fell at regular intervals. Kiana Joseph managed only five runs, Jahzara Claxton scored six, Aaliyah Alleyne added 13, and captain Chinelle Henry was dismissed for just one run.
Jannillea Glasgow attempted to keep the chase alive with 19 runs from 18 deliveries, but the target continued to drift out of reach as India’s spinners dominated the middle overs.
Shreyanka Patil Leads India’s Bowling Effort
India’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, with Shreyanka Patil emerging as the chief wicket-taker. The off-spinner claimed four wickets while conceding 36 runs, breaking the backbone of the West Indies batting lineup.
Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav provided excellent support and picked up three wickets, ensuring the Caribbean side never regained control of the chase.
Shafali Verma and Shree Charani also contributed with economical spells, helping India maintain pressure throughout the innings.
Positive Start Ahead of T20 World Cup
The victory offers valuable confidence for India as the team fine-tunes its combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup. The batting unit showed depth and adaptability, while the spin attack demonstrated its ability to control the game in crucial phases.
With contributions from both established stars and emerging players, the India women warm up match against West Indies provided several encouraging signs for the team management. India will now look to carry this momentum into their remaining practice fixtures and eventually into the main tournament.
