India Open Women's World Cup With Huge Win

India Open Women's World Cup With Huge Win

Poonam Raut hit 72 as she and Thirush Kamini put on 175 together

©REUTERS / Action Images

India Women 284-6 (Thirush Kamini 100) beat
West Indies Women 179 by 105 runs
Women's World Cup 2013, Mumbai
Scorecard

India Women opened their 2013 World Cup campaign with a comprehensive 105-run win over West Indies Women in Mumbai after Thirush Kamini scored a century and Nagarajan Niranjana took three wickets.

Kamini's 100 in 146 balls was the first World Cup century by an Indian player and it helped the hosts reach an imposing score of 284 for six; the West Indies were bowled out for 179 in reply.

They lost a wicket before a run had been scored and only Deandra Dottin (39) took the fight to India, who had earlier seen Kamini and Poonam Raut (72) put on 175 for the first wicket.

In truth, the West Indies were never in the game, leaking runs at the start and looking laboured in the field, which allowed the batters to get full value for their strokes, Kamini hitting 11 fours and a six and Raut seven fours in a partnership that set the tone for the match.

It was finally broken when Raut was trapped in front by Shanel Daley and soon after Kamini had reached her maiden ODI century she was run out by Dottin.

Her introduction to the attack seemed to liven the West Indians up she struck to remove Jhulan Goswami (36), Harmanpreet Kaur (36) and Reema Malhotra (3) as India hit out in the closing overs. Goswami faced just 21 balls and Kaur 22, hitting two big sixes.

Dottin finished with figures of three for 32 and Daley one for 51 as West Indian captain Merissa Aguilleira used eight different bowlers in a bid to stem the flow of runs.

A mix up from the second ball of the run chance ended with the run out of Kycia Knight and with India's new ball attack of Goswami and Amita Sharma pegging the West Indies back, further wickets were inevitable.

Stafanie Taylor (9) was caught behind, Shemaine Campbelle was bowled by Niranjana round her legs and Kyshona Knight was bowled by Gouher Sultana, who found appreciable turn as the match went on.

Dottin was not going to go down without a fight and after hitting her first ball for four, hammered two sixes, another two fours and then another brace of sixes in a sparkling cameo of 39 in 16 balls. It couldn't last, however, and the persistent Nagarajan had her trapped in front when Dottin tried to play across the line. The joyous celebrations from the Indian players told the story - Dottin gone, game over for the girls in maroon.

Aguilleira (18), Daley (28) and Quintyne (17) stuck around without really making much progress, although Daley showed flashes of power in hitting three fours and a six  and once they were dismissed, the experienced Goswami - unlucky not to pick up a wicket with the new ball - finished things off with the wickets of Tremayne Smartt (6) and Shakera Selman (2).

© Cricket World 2013