Coming into their last group game of the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), England had already earned three wins, with the one against Scotland coming with a powerful margin of ten wickets. But, a defeat at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium could end up eliminating them from the entire tournament.
Going into the game, they needed to win comfortably to make it to the semifinals. England has reached the knockout phase of the tournament in seven seasons, having previously missed it in 2010. Losing the toss, they were invited to bat first on the track, which was expected to help the spinners.
They didn’t enjoy a great start in the powerplay, losing two wickets for 34 runs before watching the back of their opener, Maia Bouchier, on the very first ball of the seventh ball. Nat Sciver Brunt held the batting order like a rock but, she wasn’t getting the necessary support from the other end.
England captain Heather Knight started incredibly well for her 21 runs in 13 balls before leaving the field with injury. Amy Jones couldn’t do much. Brunt celebrated an unbeaten 57-run knock in 50 balls to carry them to 141/7 in their allotted 20 overs. It was again a bit of a surprise from the management not to send Sophie Ecclestone, who has the power to smack the ball hard.
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West Indies replied with the right rhythm and smashed 102 runs for the opening partnership. Both openers of the side, captain Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph added 67 runs in the powerplay, and they killed the game in the first six overs. Deandra Dottin bashed 27 runs in 19 balls with a strike rate of over 140.
They got over the line with two overs to spare and six wickets in hand. That was the first time they got the better of England in 14 games and the first time away from the Caribbean since 2014. From having the aim to be the finalists, the Knight-led side was taking the return flight.
“India can do what they like”- Frustrated England coach
The fielding was the reason why they lost the game. They dropped as many as five chances in the game, all of them of the West Indies opener Joseph, who smashed a match-winning knock of 52 runs in 38 deliveries. That was the first game for the side in Dubai, having played all of the other games in Sharjah.
The light towers at that ground were on the edge of the roof, which pushed it to be called a ‘ring of fire’, making it a massive challenge for the fielding sides in the tournament.
However, the head coach of the side, Jon Lewis, has pointed out the lack of training opportunities in the venue.
“No one’s had an opportunity to train here (Dubai International Stadium). We’ve been training in the ICC Academy down the road.” Lewis expressed at the end of the game. Apart from India and Scotland, all the ten participating sides have been training at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
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“I didn’t know they did that. I didn’t know. India can pretty much do what they like, can’t they? Is that how it works?” The veteran said after knowing that India practiced on the center-wicket before one of their group games, something which England couldn’t do.
The ICC spokesperson clarified to ESPNcricinfo that all the teams had the chance to train in Sharjah, but none asked except India. Having beaten England, West Indies will face New Zealand for the second semifinal on October 18.