Richa Ghosh smashes joint-fastest fifty in Women’s T20Is as India posts their highest total in IND-W vs WI-W 3rd T20I
India Women's wicketkeeper batter Richa Ghosh scored the joint fastest half-century in women's T20Is in the third T20I against West Indies Women. The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai played host to this contest on Thursday, December 19.
After losing the toss and being put into bat, West Indies Women struck early, dismissing Uma Chetry (0 off 2) on the last ball of the first over. Skipper Smriti Mandhana (77 off 47) stitched crucial partnerships with Jemimah Rodrigues (39 off 28) and Raghvi Bist (31 off 22). They led India Women to a platform to go after the bowling in the end.
Following Mandhana's dismissal, Richa Ghosh walked out to the middle. She started with a bang, scoring a maximum of the very first delivery she faced followed by a boundary.
The blitzkrieg from her continued as he went after the Windies Women's bowling attack, scoring her fifty with a maximum. She breached the landmark in just 18 deliveries, becoming the joint fastest player in WT20Is to score a half-century. During the process, India Women also scored their highest-ever total in the format, scoring 217/4 in 20 overs, with Richa being dismissed for 21-ball-54.
Richa Ghosh shares the record of the fastest half-century with New Zealand Women's Sophie Devine. Playing against India at Bengaluru in 2015, the White Ferns veteran batter blazed her way to a fifty in 18 deliveries, helping them win by eight wickets.
West Indies Women need 134 runs in 60 balls to seal the IND-W vs WI-W 2024 T20I series
![Chinelle Henry is batting alongside Shemaine Campbell in the middle [Source: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/5f755-17346247797984-1920.jpg?w=500)
Chasing 218 for a win, Windies Women had a sluggish start when they lost Qiana Joseph (11 off 13) early. Skipper Hayley Matthews (22 off 17) and Deandra Dottin (25 off 17) did get starts but failed to convert them into big knocks.
At the time of writing, Chinelle Henry and Shemaine Campbell were batting in the middle for the visitors, with the score reading 84/3 at the end of 10 overs. The series is currently level at 1-1. The hosts won the first contest and the Windies Women won the second.