HARARE – Teenager Eboni Brathwaite scored the fastest-ever T20I half-century by a West Indies woman to pilot her side to a dominant eight-wicket victory over Zimbabwe Women in the second T20I in Zimbabwe on Monday.
The 17-year-old opener needed just 20 balls to reach her 50, with her boundary-studded knock powering the Windies Women to 108 for two in just 9.1 overs in pursuit of the home side’s 106 for seven at the Takashinga Sports Club.
Brathwaite’s achievement bettered Deandra Dottin’s effort against Australia in 2009 when she reached the half-century mark in 22 deliveries. It also tied Pakistan’s Nida Dar for the fifth-fastest women’s T20I half-century.
With the result, West Indies Women took a commanding 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Chasing a below-par total, Brathwaite began her innings in stunning fashion by hitting Nomvelo Sibanda for two sixes in the opening over.
The Windies lost the wicket of Jahzara Claxton for four, bowled by Kudzai Chigora, to leave them 27 for one at the end of three overs.
Her dismissal did nothing to slow Brathwaite’s carnage, with the right-hander bludgeoning off-spinner Nyasha Gwanzura for three sixes and a four to begin the fourth over that leaked 23 runs, to move to 42 off 16 balls.
She reached her half-century in the sixth over by picking up two runs off left-arm pacer Christine Mutasa.
Two balls later, Brathwaite hit her for a huge six, but perished the next delivery for a well-played 57 off 23 balls that included six sixes and three fours, with the score 69 for two in the sixth over.
Realeanna Grimmond then scored an unbeaten 23 off 16 balls with two sixes and two fours, and shared an unbeaten 39-run partnership with Stafanie Taylor to see the West Indies past their target with 65 balls to spare.
Earlier, Zimbabwe Women wasted a good start by their top three batters after being put in to bat.
Openers Kelis Ndhlovu, who scored 25 and Beloved Biza, who topscored with a run-a-ball 35, along with Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, who made 25, put Zimbabwe in a comfortable position of 78 for one in the 13th over.
But once Claxton had Biza caught behind, the home side’s innings crumbled, as they mustered just 28 runs from the remaining seven overs while losing six wickets.
Claxton was West Indies’ best bowler with 3-14.
CMC
Summarised scores
ZIMBABWE WOMEN 106-7 in 20 overs (Beloved Biza 35, Kelis Ndhlovu 25, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 25; Jahzara Claxton 3-14).
WEST INDIES WOMEN 108-2 in 9.1 overs (Eboni Brathwaite 57, Realeanna Grimmond 23 not out).
West Indies Women won by eight wickets.
