1st T20I: WI Women crush Zimbabwe by 8 wickets

(Cricinfo) An all-round show from Jahzara Claxton and three wickets from Karishma Ramharack set West Indies up for an eight-wicket win against hosts Zimbabwe in the first T20I in Harare.

Afy Fletcher, meanwhile, contributed by bagging two wickets and claiming four catches, the most by a West Indies fielder in T20Is, as the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.

West Indies opted to bowl, and kept a leash on Zimbabwe’s scoring. Zimbabwe were 40 for 3 at the halfway stage, with Ramharack striking twice. For Zimbabwe, Beloved Biza and captain Josephine Nkomo’s fifth-wicket partnership of 24, which came at a run-a-ball, was the highest of the innings. The ten extras West Indies conceded – there were eight wides and a no-ball – were the only blip in their bowling.

Biza top-scored with 21 off 24 balls, while wicketkeeper-opener Modester Mupachikwa, who made 20, was much slower, as she took 33 balls. The innings had more than 60 dot balls and only seven fours, three of which came in the final five overs.

In the chase, West Indies were 12 for 0 in two balls – that included a six from Eboni Brathwaite, and six wides bowled by Kudzai Chigora – and never looked back.

Claxton was Brathwaite’s silent partner during their 38-run stand in 25 balls. After Brathwaite fell for 23 in 14 balls, Realeanna Grimmond smashed five fours and a six in her 34 off 25 deliveries. Claxton picked up pace late in the chase to finish with 31*, and bagged the Player-of-the-Match award.

Grimmond fell with scores tied before Stafanie Taylor hit the winning run off the only ball she faced.