The Indian women clinch the match by 20 runs!

The ending was tough for the West Indies, who needed 21 runs from just 1 ball. The fall of Shamilia Connell, who scored 20 runs off 14 balls, was when their defeat felt imminent.

With this warm-up match, India has assessed the Dubai ground, while the West Indies have gained insight into the challenges they’ll face ahead.

There goes Afy Fletcher, caught by Arundhati off Radha’s delivery. Afy added 21 runs to the Windies’ chase, hitting a boundary and a six in her 14-ball effort. The team now requires 29 runs from just 3 balls, they lost.

And just like that, the game shifts in the 14th over!

First, Asha Sobhana bowls out Shemaine Campbelle, who departs for 20 runs off 38 balls in the 13th over. Then, Deepti Sharma takes down Zaida James the 13.2 over. Aaliyah Alleyne, the right-handed batter replaced Zaida, and Sharma struck again to cry loud– OUT!! Caught on the very next ball in 13.3.

Now, Afy Fletcher steps up to the crease.

Chedean Nation falls to Pooja Vastrakar’s attack after managing just a boundary! Now at the crease is Shemaine Campbelle, joined by right-handed batter Chinelle Henry.

After the innings break, nearly three overs pass, and the West Indies women lose Hayley Matthews for a duck to Renuka Singh. Qiana Joseph follows shortly after, scoring just 1 run off 4 balls to Vastrakar. Now, Shemaine Campbelle and Chedean Nation are at the crease.

And that’s the end of the 20th over, with Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil at the crease after Pooja Vastrakar fell, scoring 9 off 6 balls. India finish their innings at 141/8 in 20 overs. Now, the Windies women will chase down the 142-run target after the innings break.

Deepti Sharma smashes two-fours stunningly, finishing with a total of 13 runs off 8 balls. Meanwhile, Shreyanka Patil hits a beautiful boundary on the last ball of India’s innings.

In just three overs, India lose two more wickets, including the resilient Rodrigues, who scored a solid half-century of 52 runs off 40 balls. She was replaced by Arundhati Reddy, who managed 3 runs off 4 balls before falling victim to the attacks from the Windies captain Matthews.

And now Richa Ghosh is out too! She made her mark with a six, scoring 7 off 6 balls, but was caught short while attempting another run on Ashmini Munisar’s delivery when Mandy Mangru ran her out.

Now, left-handed batter Deepti Sharma joins the resilient Rodrigues.

Just as we praised her, we tempted fate! Bhatiya is OUT!

After a promising 24 runs off 25 balls, Yastika Bhatia succumbs to Matthews’ strong bowling and gets bowled out.

Now, right-handed batter Richa Ghosh steps up to the crease.

After 13 overs, there hasn’t been a good news for India, except for Rodrigues’ resilience, scoring 26 off 26 balls. Meanwhile, Bhatia is Bhatia is making a solid contribution, hitting a boundary and a six for a total of 24 runs off 21 balls—fingers crossed!

India women are working to steady the ship, with Yastika Bhatia and Jemimah Rodrigues at the crease. After 10 overs, the score sits at 49/3.

It’s evident that the Windies women are following their fielding strategy flawlessly!

And down goes Smriti Mandhana (14 runs off 18 balls)! It’s a massive shock for India as they lose all their power batters. Once again, it’s Hayley Matthews who claims the big wicket after taking out Harmanpreet.

Harmanpreet Kaur (1 run off 3 balls) falls early, leaving India struggling in the powerplay with two wickets down within 5 overs! Smriti Mandhana is now batting with Jamimah Rodrigues as they look to stabilize the innings.

Windies claim their first wicket in 2.5 overs with India at 18/1 as Shafali Verma departs scoring 7 runs off 10 balls. Mandhana is in fine form, hitting two consecutive fours! Now, captain Harmanpreet Kaur joins her at the crease, ramping up the excitement!

Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma are currently at the crease, having scored six runs in the very first over. Verma hits a four off a delivery from Cheville Henry.

India Women (Batting XI, Fielding XI): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Dayalan Hemalatha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(w), Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, S Sajana, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur Singh, Shreyanka Patil

West Indies Women (Batting XI, Fielding XI): Hayley Matthews(c), Chedean Nation, Deandra Dottin, Stafanie Taylor, Zaida James, Chinelle Henry, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Shemaine Campbelle(w), Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Nerissa Crafton, Shamilia Connell

West Indies Women won the toss and elected to field first.

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led India women’s team will face the West Indies women at the ICC Academy Ground No. 2 in Dubai, a venue known to favor batters. The surface supports aggressive play in the early stages, while later in the game, it tends to slow down, providing better conditions for pacers and making it tough for batters.

India women lead head-to-head record against West Indies women, winning 13 of the 21, T20I matches they have played against each other so far. Speaking of T20 World Cups, they have clashed three times with India winning two and the Windies Women claiming one victory.

H2H: India Women 13-8 West Indies Women

IND-W: Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Yastika Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan

WI-W: Hayley Matthews (c), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle (wicketkeeper), Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Karishma Ramharack, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa Crafton

India’s first warm-up fixture will commence at 7:30pm IST, with the toss scheduled for around 7pm IST. There is no information available yet on whether and where the match will be telecast and live streamed in India. However, all the matches of the World Cup proper will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network in India, and they will be live-streamed on the Disney+Hotstar app and website in India.