IND-W vs WI-W: Deepti Sharma sizzles as India whitewash the West Indies

With the ODI series already in the bag, the Indian women drove the final nail in the coffin with a comfortable 5-wicket victory over the West Indies to register a 3-0 series victory at Vadodara on Friday.

This was incidentally, India’s fourth consecutive WODI series win against the West Indies at home.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the West Indies found the going tough and were skittled out for 162 in 38.5 overs.

In response, India wobbled briefly and were 73/4 at one stage but recovered thereafter to romp home in the 29th over with five-wickets to spare.

Here are the talking points from the 3rd ODI at Vadodara on Friday.

India impressive with the ball

Asked to bowl first, India turned to Renuka Thakur and the new ball bowler did not disappoint.

Inside the first five overs, she had sent back Joseph, skipper Matthews and Dottin to break the West Indian top-order.

Thereafter, Deepti Sharma took over.

And when Campbelle and Henry were threatening to put up a big partnership, she accounted for both of their wickets.

Sharma single-handedly destroyed the middle and lower order to finish with match figures of 6/31 off her full quota of 10 overs, which included three maidens as well.

In doing so, Deepti Sharma became the first Indian player to take three 5-wicket hauls in WODIs.

Renuka Thakur, after rattling the top order, finished with 4/29.

Tame West Indian batting

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the tourists were hoping to put up a strong total on the board. But with Dottin, Matthews and Joseph back in the hut within the first five overs, it was always going to be an uphill task.

Campbelle and Henry did attempt to resurrect the innings, and the latter did bring up her fifty but after both of them departed rather quickly, the rest were unable to mount a fight.

The end result was a woefully sub-par 162.

Superstar Sharma

The all-rounder once again demonstrated her value to the Indian squad.

With the ball in hand, she displayed great control and repeated foxed the West Indian batters.

Bowling at a miserly economy rate of 3.10 and in sending down three maiden overs, she ensured that the tourists just could not recover from 3/9.

But with a spell of 6/31, her job wasn’t done.

With India wobbling at tad bit at 4/73 and then 5/129, Sharma had to come out and steer the ship to the shore.

And she did that with a mature 39 from 48-balls to pick up the player of the match award and ensure that India whitewashed the hapless West Indies.