By Sherdon Cowan-West Indies Women’s Head coach Shane Deitz chided his team for failing to execute efficiently on a consistent basis as he assessed their overall performance following a five-wicket loss in the final ODI match, which capped a 3-0 series win for India on Friday.
The result, which came on the heels of a 1-2 T20I series loss, meant Deitz’s side only won a single game across the entire tour.
With that in mind, Deitz spoke candidly, as he acknowledged the challenges his side faced, particularly their repeated struggles in the powerplay, which he described as a recurring issue that hampered their ability to compete.
“You lose three wickets within the first six overs, and it’s tough to recover. Over the three ODIs, we lost something like 9 for 81 in the Powerplays; that’s an average of three wickets per Powerplay for just 27 runs. It killed us. We haven’t been able to handle the new ball, and we’ve struggled to recover from there. That’s a top-order issue we need to address urgently,” Deitz said in a post-match press conference.
Deitz praised individual efforts, including Chinelle Henry, who struck 61, and Shemaine Campbelle (46) in the final match, but lamented the lack of a strong platform for the middle and lower order.
He also highlighted the challenge of facing India’s experienced spinner Deepti Sharma, who snared six wickets for 31 runs and later contributed an unbeaten 39 in the series finale.
“We probably got on top of her for a while, but then she came back brilliantly. Campbelle and Henry put together a nearly 100-run partnership, but once Campbelle chipped one to long-on, it opened the door for Deepti to take control.
“She’s a world-class bowler, and if you give her a chance, she’ll knock you over. So we’ve got to be better there, not open the door. Once we get on top of the opposition, we’ve got to not give them opportunities to get back in the game,” the coach stated.
That said, Deitz outlined key areas that need immediate attention as the team builds toward the Women’s World Cup qualifiers and the tournament itself.
“We’ve got to bowl six balls in one spot, not four good balls and two pressure-releasing ones. That’s about technique, mental attitude, and fitness. On the batting side, losing three wickets early makes it hard, but if you get to 30 or 40, you have to push on and make a hundred. That’s what ODI cricket demands,” he explained.
“India is a tough place to play for any side, men or women. We knew that coming in, but we weren’t ready from ball one. Illness, a lack of momentum, and limited preparation didn’t help. India, coming off a tough series against Australia, were in a much better position to face us,” the coach added.
Despite the setbacks, Deitz remains optimistic about the team’s future, especially with a packed schedule ahead, including a series against Bangladesh, the regional 50-over competition, and the World Cup qualifiers.
As such, he pointed out that the focus will be on building a stronger foundation, both technically and mentally, to ensure they are ready to compete at the highest level in the months ahead.
“We’ve got a lot of cricket coming up, and we’ll use that to get better. The goal is to qualify for the World Cup and return here next year as a much better-prepared side. So we will get a chance to redeem ourselves,” Deitz ended. (Sportsmax)
