Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], January 19 (ANI): Defending champions India began their ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup 2025 campaign on a high note, delivering a dominant performance against the West Indies at the picturesque Bayeumas Oval in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, according to ICC.
Having got the Windies bowled out for 44 in the first innings, India managed to chase down the total in 4.2 overs with nine wickets in hand.
After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, India put in an all-round effort with the ball and in the field to take control of the proceedings.
Joshitha VJ opened the deadlock as she trapped West Indies skipper Samara Ramnath plumb in her second over. The pacer then followed it up with a second wicket off the next delivery, sending Naijanni Cumberbatch back in the hut for a duck.
The spin duo of Aayushi Shukla and Parunika Sisodia also got into the act as India tightened their grip on the Group A fixture. While Shukla also registered a brace, Sisodia went on to finish with a three-wicket haul.
Later in the innings, Indian fielders helped clean up the tail, inducing three runouts as the Windies batters were unable to stitch a partnership.
Chasing the total, India lost opener G Trisha in the first over. However, Kamalini G and Sanika Chalke ensured that India wrapped up a win without losing another wicket.
The result sees the defending champions sit atop Group A after the first round of matches, with two points and a commanding NRR of +8.646.
Earlier in the day, in the other Group A fixture, Chamudi Praboda and Dahami Sanethma emerged as the star performers as Sri Lanka pinned down hosts Malaysia by a 139 runs in their ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup opener on day two of the tournament.
Defending a challenging total, Sri Lanka were on top from the get-go, removing three wickets in the powerplay starting off with Rashmika Sewwandi, who claimed opener Irdina Beh in the first over to hand her team an early advantage.
It was followed by twin strikes from Praboda, who got the better of Nazatul Hidayah Husna and Nur Izzatul Syafiqa in the second over of the innings.
Just as the hosts were reeling from the early wickets, Manudi Nanayakkara made her mark with the wickets of Nur Aliya and skipper Nur Daniya Syuhada in the same over as half of the Malaysian batting returned back with only 14 runs on the board.
Aseni Thalagune also got into the thick of the action with a stunning direct hit to remove Nuriman Hidayah out of the equation with a run out.
Limansa Thilakaratne then got rid of Suabika Manivannan and Nur Ain in successive overs from her end before Praboda returned to clinch her third, finishing with figures of 3/5. Another run out came as the final blow for the hosts, who were bowled out for 23.
Earlier, Dahami Sanethma anchored the Sri Lankan innings with the first half-century of the tournament. Returning with 55 runs off 52 deliveries, Dahani composed her knock with five boundaries as Sri Lanka closed the innings with 162/6 on the board.
Opener Sanjana Kavindi (30 off 13 balls) and Hiruni Kumari (28 off 21 balls) in the middle order were also key contributors for the Sri Lankans.
Hosts Malaysia did pull the run rate back thanks to wickets in the middle overs. The pick of the bowlers Siti Nazwah removed Hiruni and Rashkima Sewwandi in the same over to carve an opening for the hosts. But thanks to some late fireworks, courtesy of Sanethma and Shashini Gimhani, Sri Lanka leaped past the 150-run mark.
Malaysia had won the toss and elected to bowl in the nation’s capital, and there were emotional scenes when Marsya claimed the hosts’ opening wicket, a catch off her own bowling to dismiss Kavindi in the fourth over.
After morning play, defending champions India meet the West Indies at the same venue. (ANI)
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