Navi Mumbai, Dec 17 (PTI) Smriti Mandhana's second successive fifty and Richa Ghosh's power-packed 32 ensured a par score of 159/9 for the Indian women in their second T20I against West Indies here on Tuesday.
Stand-in skipper Mandhana made the most of her three reprieves, notching up an attractive 41-ball 62 with nine fours and a six to provide much-needed impetus at the top as wickets fell at the other end.
If Mandhana built the base, Ghosh played the finisher's role to perfection with six fours in her 17-ball-knock which took India past the 150-run mark.
At one stage, it appeared tough given the failure of the other specialist batters.
Coming off a superb 73 in the series opener, Jemimah Rodrigues (13) started well with a couple of fours but was trapped leg-before when she missed connecting with the ball trying to work it to the on side, falling to opposition skipper Hayley Matthews (2/36).
Debutant Raghvi Bisht failed to make a dent as she played across the line to be pinned in front of the wickets for only 5 off Afy Fletcher (2/28).
Deepti Sharma (17) played a couple of attractive strokes but she had only herself to blame for her run-out, going for a non-existent run even as Ghosh kept asking her to return.
At the start, it was Deandra Dottin who drew early blood by cleaning up Uma Chetry (4), getting the ball to move back in to the batter who missed the line completely.
In fact, Dottin was the hero for the Windies for her spectacular fielding and for returning a measly 4-0-14-2, snaffling the wickets of Chetry and Ghosh.
Dottin was also successful in not only saving a six with a perfectly-timed leap on the ropes but her effort resuluted in a spectacular catch to dismiss Radha Yadav (7), grabbing the ball in both hands while being parallel to the ground after covering a considerable distance from long-on.
In a red-hot form, Mandhana's flourish was a delight to watch as she also made the most of multiple reprieves — three dropped catches in consecutive overs.
Having struck three fours off Ashwini Munisar in the 13th over which had one of those dropped chances, Mandhana's stroke of the innings came when she pierced the in-field with a delicate drive through covers for four on the final ball to prove why she is a class apart.