West Indies Women phir se ek baar haar ke maidaan mein dikhayi di, jab South Africa ne unhe 40 runs se hara kar teen matchon ki ODI series ko 1-1 se barabar kar diya. Yeh match Barbados ke Three Ws Oval mein khela gaya, jahan South Africa ki Sune Luus aur Nonkululeko Mlaba ne apni chamak se sabko hairaan kar diya. West Indies ke liye Hayley Matthews aur Shemaine Campbelle ne half-centuries banayi, lekin phir bhi woh jeet ke kareeb nahi pahunch sake. Kya West Indies ke fans ke dil ab bhi ummeed se bhare hain, ya phir yeh ek aur missed opportunity thi?
South Africa ne pehle batting ki aur 309/9 ka bada score khada kiya, jo unka West Indies ke khilaaf ODI mein doosra sabse bada total tha. Sune Luus ne 76 runs banaye, aur woh bhi sirf 65 balls mein, jisme unka aggressive andaaz saaf dikha. Nondumiso Shangase ne bhi apna career-best 55 runs ka yogdaan diya, jo unke liye ek bada moment tha. Yeh dono batsmen ne West Indies ke spinners ka saamna karte hue 85 runs ki partnership banayi, jo match ka turning point raha. Annerie Dercksen aur Chloe Tryon ne aakhiri overs mein 106 runs jodkar South Africa ko ek imposing total tak pahunchaya. Yeh performance yaad dilati hai 2016 ke World T20 semi-final ki, jahan South Africa ne Australia ke khilaaf ek challenging total post kiya tha, lekin tab bhi jeet unke haath nahi lagi thi.
West Indies ki batting ki baat karein toh Hayley Matthews ne 56 aur Shemaine Campbelle ne 53 runs banaye, lekin yeh kafi nahi tha. Nonkululeko Mlaba ne apne career-best 4/33 ke saath West Indies ke middle order ko tabaah kar diya. Mlaba ka yeh performance unki 2024 T20 World Cup ke 4/29 ke figures ko bhi peechhe chhod gaya, jab unhone West Indies ko hi kam score par rok diya tha. Marizanne Kapp ne bhi apne experience ka istemaal kiya aur crucial wickets lekar game ko South Africa ke favour mein mod diya. Yeh performance South Africa ke 2013 Women’s World Cup ke dauraan Anya Shrubsole ke iconic bowling spell ki yaad dilati hai, jab unhone South Africa ke khilaaf ek game-changing performance di thi.
Lekin West Indies ke liye yeh match ek aur mauka tha apne aap ko prove karne ka. Unke fans ko yaad hoga 2016 Women’s T20 World Cup ka final, jab West Indies ne Australia ko harakar trophy uthayi thi. Us jeet mein Stafanie Taylor aur Hayley Matthews ka bada haath tha, aur aaj bhi team unhi players par depend karti hai. Qiana Joseph ne pehle ODI mein 60 runs banaye the, aur unka aggressive approach West Indies ko ek nayi energy deta hai. Zaida James aur Afy Fletcher ne bhi chhote lekin important contributions diye, jo dikhata hai ki team mein talent ki kami nahi hai. Phir bhi, consistency unki sabse badi problem hai. Jab aap South Africa jaisi team ke khilaaf khel rahe hote hain, jinke paas Laura Wolvaardt aur Marizanne Kapp jaise world-class players hain, toh har mauka count karta hai.
West Indies ke liye yeh series ab ek decider match par aa gayi hai, jo 17 June ko khela jayega. Yeh ek chance hai unke liye apne fans ko dikhane ka ki woh bade stage par lad sakte hain. South Africa ke liye, yeh jeet unki strength ko dikhati hai, lekin unhe bhi yaad rakhna chahiye ki 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup final mein Australia ne unhe hara diya tha, jab woh ghar mein khel rahe the. West Indies ke paas ab bhi woh spark hai jo kabhi bhi game ko palat sakta hai, jaise unhone 2016 mein kiya tha. Lekin kya woh is baar us spark ko ignite kar payenge? Ya phir South Africa ka dominance ek aur match mein West Indies ke sapnon ko chur karega?
References:
- ESPNcricinfo, WI Women vs SA Women 2nd ODI Match Report, 15 June 2025
- Cricket World, West Indies Women vs South Africa Women 2nd ODI, 15 June 2025
- SuperSport, Luus, Shangase, and Mlaba star as South Africa levels the series, 14 June 2025
- Posts on X by @wiplayers and @imfemalecricket, 15 June 2025
