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The West Indies have proved the doubters wrong, winning the ICC Women’s World T20 by eight wickets with just three balls to spare, upsetting Australia who were in their fourth straight final.
The team from the carribean came up with the goods in what was a record breaking Women’s T20 record run chase, after Australia had set the highest ever score recorded in a Women’s final.
On a night of records, four half centuries were scored, something that had never before been done in the final.
Australia would win the toss and elect to bat first, with the Stars getting off to a flying start – finishing the powerplay at 1 for 54. They might have lost Alyssa Healy early on, but Elyse Villani and Meg Lanning made light work of the Windies attack who simply couldn’t get it right.
The trend continued with both Lanning and Villani going past their half centuries. Anisa Mohammed was the pick of the bowlers, managing to restrict Australia and pick up a wicket.
When the West Indies finally made the breakthrough, taking the wicket of Villani it would be Elysse Perry who came to the crease bludgeoning a few sixes to keep Australia moving.
Getting to the last over, it looked like the Stars could have gunned for 160. Instead, they struggled to get any runs, with 2/1 being taken offt the last over bowled by Deandra Dottin.
In reply, the Windies got off to a very slow start, being 0 for 9 off their first three overs. They quickly turned that around though, scoring 31 from the next three overs.
Hayley Matthews and captain Stafanie Taylor both motored past 50 and had Australia right on the back foot. They struggled to build any pressure and bowl consistently.
When Matthews got herself out for 66, with the fall of wicket being 1 for 120 in the 16th over the West Indies were almost home. Taylor would be the other to get out as the chase came home.
Deandra Dottin hit a couple of boundaries right at the death to make sure it was going to happen, and they would pass the total with three balls up their sleeves.
In the end, and amazing batting performance and the celebration will continue in the Carribean for quite some time.
Final Score:
West Indies 2/149 (19.3)
Australia 5/148 (20)
West Indies defeat Australia by eight wickets with three balls to spare.
The Southern Stars go gunning for their fourth ICC Women’s World T20 title when they take on the West Indies who are in their first ever final. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the last match of the tournament from 7pm (AEDT).
The Stars, after not making the final in the inaugural 2008 version of the event, have won it every time since, having a complete dominance.
They now go for their fourth in a row, with uncertainty hanging over their heads against a West Indies side with plenty to prove in their first final appearance.
Australia made it into the semifinals only thanks to some unconvincing victories and a huge smashing of Ireland in their final match. If they had have lost, or won that one by a small margin and other results had have gone against them, they may well have been bundled out in the Super 10 phase.
The Stars can almost count themselves lucky they made the final in the end after a clunky performance against England in the semi-finals. While they flew out of the gates batting first, they struggled with their batting in the back part of the innings only reaching 132. England were then well on track to reach the target but fell away in the back end.
The West Indies on the other hand also finished second in their group behind England. Like Australia, they showed very patchy form.
They were up again down again all tournament, one minute looking like they would dominate and the next wondering where their next run was coming from.
After defeating Pakistan and Bangladesh, the West Indies fell on the last ball to England before bouncing back with a win over India. In the semi-final though, they were again less than perfect as New Zealand went down by six runs.
If they can get some consistency going, it is going to see them become an extremely dangerous team.
Batting first here will be a huge advantage. No team in the women’s tournament has chased down more than 124 runs.
Alyssa Healy could be the key here. She has the potential to rip the West Indies to shreds at the top of the order. Meg Lanning is another, who did a great job in the semi final holding a faltering innings together.
Britney Cooper plays that role for the West Indies, and batting at first drop will have all sorts of pressure on.
Prediction
The Stars have all the final experience on their line, and while they weren’t clinical against England, neither were the West Indies. Against a West Indies outfit where you just never know what you are going to get, Australia will find a way.
Southern Stars to win four straight.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of the 2016 ICC Women’s World T20 final from 7pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde