India Women claim 5-0 T20 series sweep over West Indies
Providence (Guyana): The Indian women's cricket team completed a 5-0 series whitewash over the West Indies after half centuries from Veda Krishnamurthy and Jemimah Rodrigues, complemented by the bowlers' clinical show, steered the side to a 61-run triumph in the fifth and final T20 International here.
Rodrigues (50) and Krishnamurthy (57 not out) shared 117 runs for the third wicket as India Women scored 134 for 3 after electing to bat.
The decision seemed to have backfired when India were reduced to 17 for 2 in the fourth over with Shafali Verma (9) and captain Smriti Mandhana (7) getting out cheaply.
But the Rodrigues-Krishnamurthy duo steadied the innings and took the side to a decent total.
Rodrigues needed 56 balls for her 50, which was studded with three boundaries, while Krishnamurthy's unbeaten 57 came off 48 deliveries, which included four hits to the fence.
In the West Indies run chase, the Indian Women bowlers produced a disciplined performance to restrict the hosts to 73 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs.
The West Indies were 13 for 2 in the fourth over and they never recovered from that. Half of their batters were out for 53 runs in the 14th over.
Opener Kyshona Knight was the top-scorer with 22 while Shemaine Campbelle remained not out on 19.
For India Women, off-spinner Anuja Patil grabbed two wickets for just three runs while Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav, Pooja Vastrakar and Harleen Deol took a wicket each.
Brief Scores:
India Women: 134 for 3 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 50, Veda Krishnamurthy 57 not out; Hayley Matthews 1/23)
West Indies Women: 73 for 7 in 20 overs (Kyshona Knight 22; Anuja Patil 2/3).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
