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India defeated the West Indies by 56 runs in the T20I Tri-Series in South Africa, announcing themselves ahead of next month's ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
Star batters Smriti Mandhana (74*) and Harmanpreet Kaur (56*) made significant contributions to the Asian team, whose total of 167/2 was far too much for the Caribbean team in East London. West Indies were then held to 111 runs by the Indian bowlers, led by Deepti Sharma's 2 for 29. Shikha Pandey produced efficient stats of 0 for 18 off her four overs in her first T20I since October 2021. Throughout their unbroken 115-run partnership, Mandhana and Kaur scored effortlessly, with Mandhana reaching the boundary with ease and clearing the rope off Afy Fletcher's bowling in the penultimate over of the innings. West Indies needed a quick start to have any chance of chasing down India's large total and their hopes were quickly diminished as Deepti Sharma (2/29) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (1/16) helped reduce Hayley Matthews' side to 25/3 in the seventh over. Shemaine Campbelle (47) and Matthews (34*) tried hard to up the scoring rate, but India's bowlers kept things tight to ensure they remained unbeaten in the series following a first-up victory over South Africa. India's first match at next month's T20 World Cup comes against Pakistan in Cape Town on February 13, while the West Indies battle England in Paarl a day earlier. (ANI)
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