Women's WT20: West Indies win maiden title
In the women's WT20 finals held at Eden Garden, West Indies beat Australia, which was eyeing its fourth successive title, by 8 wickets. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first; Captain Meg Lanning (52) and Elyse Villasi (52) helped them score 148-5. In response, WI scored 149-2 in 19.3 overs with Hayley Matthews (66) and captain Stafanie Taylor (59) leading the charge.
2016 ICC Women's World T20 is the fifth such WT20 tournament. It was scheduled in India from 15 March to 3 April 2016, featuring 10 teams with matches contested in 8 cities. The inaugural edition was held in 2009, when hosts England won the tournament. Defending champions of the tournament are Australia, who won it the last three times - 2010, 2012, and 2014.
The total prize money for the women's event is $400,000, which is a 122 per cent increase from the last WT20 event in Bangladesh. This is significantly less when compared to a hefty $5.6 million prize money for the men's event.
Women's WT20 tournament, as expanded in 2014, featured 10 participating teams. Top eight teams from WT20 2014 - Australia, England, West Indies, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, earned direct qualification. The remaining two spots were decided at the 2015 World Twenty20 Qualifier, held from 28 November to 5 December 2015. Bangladesh and Ireland, thus qualified for the 2016 WT20 edition.
The first round of competition is Group stage, where each team plays every other team in its group. Following the Group stage, top 2 teams in each group progress to semi-finals. Semis are knock-out matches where, the team placed first in each group plays the team placed second in the other group. The winners of semi-finals play the Final on 3 April in Kolkata.
Defending champs Australia is in Group A along with South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland. India is in Group B along with former winners England, West Indies, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
New Zealand women's team emerged the leader of Group A winning all their matches in group stage. They were followed by Australia who won 3 out of their 4 matches and only lost to New Zealand. South Africa and Sri Lanka won a match each (both against Ireland) and are yet to play a match with each other. Ireland team lost all their matches.
Indian women's cricket team bowed out of the World T20 campaign after suffering a narrow three-run defeat against the West Indies, in Mohali. Chasing a 115-run target, India only managed 111 for nine and suffered their third defeat in a row. Deandra Dottin emerged star for the Windies side, as she smashed 45 runs off 40 balls and went on to take three wickets.
Indian women, captained by Mithali Raj, lost three out of their four matches to Pakistan, England and West Indies. They only won the initial match over Bangladesh.
England women topped Group B, winning all their matches. They qualified for the semis along with West Indies who won 3 of their 4 matches. Other three teams in the group, all Asian - Pakistan, India and Bangladesh displayed a dismal performance. Pakistan won two (over India and Bangladesh) and lost two (Eng and West Indies) of their matches, while Bangladesh lost all.
England women were knocked out of WT20 by the three-time defending champions Australia, in the semi-final, touted as the match of the tournament. Chasing 133, England were cruising at 87-1 before they self-destructed against their fighting opponents. Australia made a dramatic comeback with the ball restricting their old foes to 127/7 in 20 overs, at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi.
West Indies women entered their maiden WT20 final, beating New Zealand by 6 runs in an exciting second semi-final, at the Wankhede. Batting first, Windies made 143-6, with Beth Cooper's 61 off 48 ball-knock being the major contributor. West Indies women held their nerves in the death overs and managed to stop the New Zealand white ferns at 137 for 8.
