In a warm-up match held in Cardiff, India registered a comfortable 26-run victory over the West Indies, even while resting a few established starters. The contest provided an opportunity for fringe and less frequently used players to showcase their abilities, and they responded with notable performances across both batting and bowling departments.
Stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana led from the front, delivering a fluent 39 off 23 balls to provide India with a strong start to their innings. The responsibility of anchoring the middle order was taken up effectively by Bharti Fulmali, who capitalised on her opportunity with a well-constructed 56 off 40 deliveries, stabilising India’s innings after the Powerplay phase.
India’s batting unit ensured a competitive total, with the overall innings remaining just under the 200-run mark, putting pressure on the West Indies chase.
With the ball, Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav strengthened their claims for selection consideration, sharing seven wickets between them and applying sustained pressure on the opposition lineup.
The West Indies, meanwhile, struggled with their top-order start, a concern acknowledged by stand-in captain Chinelle Henry after the match. She noted that the initial six overs remained a key area for improvement, although she also highlighted the team’s strong recovery in the final 12 overs, which helped restrict India to under 200 runs.
Despite the defeat, West Indies found encouragement in the form of a composed innings from Deandre Dottin, who scored 49 off 44 deliveries and anchored the chase. However, the lack of substantial middle-order support ultimately proved decisive, as the side fell 26 runs short in their allotted 20 overs.
Henry described Dottin’s return to form as a positive sign ahead of the tournament, emphasizing her importance to the team’s batting structure going forward.
India will continue their World Cup preparations with another warm-up fixture against hosts England on Wednesday in Cardiff, while the West Indies will face Australia on Thursday in their final preparatory match before the tournament begins.
The contrasting performances have set the stage for a highly competitive selection phase for India, with depth across departments presenting both opportunity and challenge for the selectors.
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