Women's WT20: Heart-break for India as hosts knocked out after three-run defeat to West Indies

Mohali: The Indian women’s cricket team was knocked out of the World Twenty20 on Sunday after suffering a narrow three-run defeat against the West Indies. Replying to West Indies total 114 for eight, India made a mess of their chase, managing 111 for nine and suffered their third defeat in a row. Deandra Dottin emerged star for the Caribbean side as she first smashed 45 runs off 40 balls and then scalped three Indian batswoman at crucial time. [caption id=“attachment_2698168” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] West Indies celebrate. Solaris[/caption] Watched by India men cricketers including Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh and having a decent crowd support, India eves started chase on a faulty note when skipper Mithali Raj was sent back to pavilion for a duck by pacer Shamila Connell in the first over. Veda Krishnamurthy (18), who had hit three boundaries of rival skipper Stafanie Taylor’s first over, failed to last long and lobbed a catch to mid-wicket to Stacy-Ann King becoming Dottin’s first scalp. Connell bowled a very tight spell, choking Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. With runs not coming, Kaur played a lofted shot spinner Afy Fletcher only to find Kyshona Knight at the deep cover. 19-year-old Smriti Mandhana (22), who tried to break the shackles hitting a six of off-spinner Anisa Mohd. in the 12th over, was unlucky when she played it on to the stumps attempting a late cut off off-spinner Afy Fletcher. At 4-75 in 15 overs, India eves needed 40 runs for victory in the last five overs with Anuja Patil and Jhulan Goswami at the crease. West Indies eves kept up the pressure and no boundaries came off between the 12th-16th over. The hosts struggled and failed to build partnerships. Spinner Shaquana trapped Anuja in the 18th over. Anuja made 26 off 27 balls. Soon, Goswami (25) was run out in the penultimate over, leaving India tottering at 6-104. Indian required 10 runs off the last over, bowled by Dottin, but it proved a tall order for the lower-order batswoman. PTI