Ramharack excels as West Indies Women secure ODI series victory.
Karishma Ramharack had a memorable day as she capped off a remarkable bowling performance with a boundary off the final delivery, clinching a thrilling two-wicket victory for West Indies Women against hosts Pakistan Women in their second ICC Women’s Championship One-day International (ODI) yesterday.
Ramharack seized the opportunity on the last ball from pacer Fatima Sana, guiding it past the left side of wicketkeeper Najiha Alvi for four runs. This crucial shot propelled the Caribbean side to jubilant celebrations, successfully chasing down 224 for victory at the National Stadium.
Despite a slow start, the visitors managed to reach 37 for one by the end of the first Power Play, but struggled to accelerate against the spin-heavy attack of their opponents throughout the chase.
Their journey to victory seemed assured at 159 for two, with former captain Stafanie Taylor and newly appointed vice-captain Shemaine Campbelle steering the innings with a solid partnership of 88 runs for the third wicket, leaving just 65 runs to win with 13 overs remaining.
Ramharack excels as West Indies Women secure ODI series victory.
However, a dramatic turn of events saw six wickets fall, including three to Pakistan captain Nida Dar, putting West Indies Women on the verge of a calamitous finish until Ramharack’s stroke of luck.
Taylor led the charge with a top score of 73 from 90 balls, earning her the Player of the Match award, supported by Campbelle’s 52 from 73 balls, captain Hayley Matthews’ 44, and Chinelle Henry’s 23. Dar shone for the home team, claiming four for 52 from nine overs with her off-spin.
The result secured an unassailable 2-0 lead for the visitors in the three-match series, earning them two additional points in the ICC Women’s Championship table, contributing towards direct qualification for next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India.
Matthews’ side now boasts 12 points from 14 matches, ranking ninth in the standings with a challenging task ahead to secure one of the five direct qualification spots for the World Cup alongside the hosts.
Consequently, the bottom four teams in the Women’s Championship, along with the 11th and 12th ranked teams in the ICC ODI rankings, will advance to a qualifying tournament, the details of which will be announced later, where the top two teams will complete the lineup for the global event.
Earlier in the match, pacer Henry claimed three for 37 from 8.5 overs, while Ramharack and leg-spinner Afy Fletcher bagged three for 47 and two for 46 respectively from their allotted overs, leading the West Indies Women’s bowling attack.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, Pakistan Women were bowled out for 223 in 48.5 overs. The visitors faced a tough challenge when the hosts were cruising at 91 for one, but managed to fight back, claiming the last eight wickets for just 132 runs as Pakistan sought quick runs.
