Pride at stake as India look to get their bearings right

It hasn't been a pleasant start to the Harmanpreet Kaur era, but with the series out of their hands already, India Women would now aim to halt the West Indies juggernaut and pick up a consolation win when the two teams face off in the final Twenty20 International (T20I) of the three-match series on Tuesday (November 22), at Dr. Gokaraju Laila Gangaraju ACA Cricket Grounds in Mulapadu near Vijayawada.

With their six-wicket and 31-run victories in the first two games - having picked up the format after a seven-month international break - the Stafanie Taylor-led side has reiterated that their historic dash at the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 was no fluke. Even as they await their fate on the last available automatic qualifiers' spot for the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup, the visitors will now be keen on blanking the home side to wrap up another trip to India on a high.

On an otherwise non-responsive pitch for the bowlers, West Indies' bowling attack has done fairly well to make up the numbers. However, the one name that stands out in their camp is that of their captain Taylor. On Friday she single-handedly launched an assault on the Indian bowlers to comfortably take West Indies across the line with her career's second-best knock - a 51-ball 90. A day later, even as the home side came prepared to counter her attack, she held one end together with a gutsy 47 to allow her partners the freedom to go for their shots, and took her side to a safe score of 137.

"She has been leading from the front. She's always wanted to be a leader and she is a leader in true sense. I want to say congratulations to Stef. She batted for us right through and she is what you actually call a skipper," said Shaquana Quintyne, the West Indies legspinner, lauding Taylor's twin knocks that has helped her team reverse their fortunes.

Unlike the preceding ODIs, there was more at stake for the hosts coming into this T20I series. While revenge for the World T20 ouster, one can bet, was the last thing on their minds, getting the new-look India to gel together was high on priority ahead of the 2016 Asia Cup that starts in under a week's time. The change of guard was signalling the onset of the transition phase which hasn't been a smooth ride thus far.

India's chronic failures against West Indies, inarguably a better side in the game's briefest version, has exposed the chinks in their armour. Despite Harmanpreet and Veda Krishnamurthy's fine form, batting still remains their biggest concern. A lot of homework still needs to be done, despite notching up 150 in the series opener sans Mithali Raj. More so, to make up for the inexperienced line-up.

The way India imploded in the second T20I has put the spotlight firmly back on their batters. Smriti Mandhana's lukewarm start to the season hasn't provided the requisite platform, a constantly shuffling batting order has led to instability and misfiring all-rounders - that make up half the side - are a bane. To add to it, Mithali Raj's illness couldn't have hit India at a worse time. Fielding lapses that led to disaster in the series opener were duly corrected but remain a work in progress.

One can argue that India's ride in Thailand would be much smoother, that they are unlikely to find such stiff challenge from the other Asian opponents, but true as that stands, this is hosts' last shot at redeeming the lost pride and getting their bearings right before they leave the Indian shores.

An open net session was called for as India sweated it out ahead of the final match. If fit, Raj should walk in to the XI to do what she does best - provide stability to the fragile batting order. In the visitors' camp, Merissa Aguilleira picked up a niggle and did not keep wickets during India's chase in the second game. West Indies are unlikely to rush her back into the XI if the veteran's fitness remains a concern, given that Kycia Knight can also assume the responsibilities behind the stumps.

Squads:

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Mithali Raj, Smriti Mandhana, Vellaswamy Vanitha, Sabbhineni Meghana, Anuja Patil, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jhulan Goswami, Nuzhat Parween, Shikha Pandey, Preeti Bose, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Mansi Joshi, Deepti Sharma.

West Indies: Stafanie Taylor (Captain), Anisa Mohammed, Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Shaquana Quintyne, Shakera Selman, Tremayne Smartt.