DHAKA – The third time didn’t prove to be the charm for the West Indies Women.
The regional cricketers faltered at the semi-final stage of the ICC?Twenty20 World Cup for the third successive time, when they went down to Australia by eight runs yesterday.
Hoping to break the jinx by reaching their first final, the Caribbean side were left disappointed after they failed to reach their target of 141, ending on 132 for four from their 20 overs.
They required 14 to win from the last over at the Shere Bangla Stadium but could only scramble six runs, while losing the wicket of captain Merissa Aguilleira for six.
Deandra Dottin provided the impetus for the innings with a top score of 40 off 35 balls while Stacy-Ann King finished unbeaten on 36 from 28 balls. Stafanie Taylor made 24 and her opening partner Kycia Knight, 21, as they gave West Indies a solid start of 43.
Earlier, Australia got up to 140 for five after winning the toss and opting to bat, with opener Elyse Villani hitting 35 from 32 balls and Alyssa Healy, 30 not out off just 21 balls. Off-spinner Anisa Mohammed finished with two for 24 from her four overs.
The Windies women did a fine job of shackling the Aussies but lost the plot in the last five overs to concede 48 runs.
West Indies started positively, with Taylor and Knight gathering boundaries from the first over. The pair proceeded cautiously until Taylor was run out in the eighth over. Knight followed five runs later.
Dottin and King then added 73 for the third wicket. Both batters, who each counted four fours and a six, mixed caution with aggression.
However, with the required run rate climbing towards ten at the end of the 15th over, Dottin struck left-arm spinner Jonassen for six over long on.
King took her cue from Dottin, depositing fast bowler Erin Osbourne over mid-wicket for another six but the West Indies were left needing 21 from the last two overs.
They then lost Dottin to the second ball of the penultimate over.
And with just seven runs from the over, 14 from the last six balls proved too tall an order.
