Spearheaded by off-spinner N A Khadeer (4/22), Indian slow bowlers spun a vicious web as the hosts took an unassailable 3-0 lead over West Indies coasting to a 72-run win in the third one day international women's cricket match at Kolkata on Wednesday.
Khadeer, ably assisted by the spin duo of Diana David (2/15) and Neetu David (2/38), bundled out the visitors for a paltry 135 in 47.5 overs after the Indians posted a decent score of 207 at the Eden Gardens.
India, who had won the first two matches at Dhanbad and Jamshedpur, continued their good work as the West Indies willowers got out to poor shots.
Stand-in skipper Nelly Williams (48), who had to take charge in the absence of an indisposed captain Stephanie Power, fought a lone battle to frustrate the Indian bowlers during a gritty 130-minute knock, but found little support at the other end, as six of the West Indies batswomen departed for single digit scores.
Williams, who opened the innings, faced 103 balls, hitting four boundaries and was the eighth batswoman to depart. Fillipa Thomas (38) and A Mohammad put on 36 runs for the ninth wicket to delay the inevitable.
Earlier, on winning the toss, the Indians rode on useful contributions from Anjum Chopra (36), Hemlata Kala (31) and Sunetra Paranjpe (27) to cross the 200 mark.
The Indians also benefited from the wayward bowling of the Caribbeans, who conceded as many as 24 wides, as the hosts got an additional 34 runs from extras, the second highest contributor in the Indian innings.
Scoreboard:
India:
S Paranjpe run out 27
A Chopra b Cummins 36
M Raj b Lewis 18
H Kala b Thomas 31
M Maben b Lewis 23
J Sharma c George b Thomas 5
D David b Thomas 0
A Jain not out 26
D Kulkarni not out 7
Extras (b-5, lb-4, w-24, nb-1) 34
Total (seven wickets, 50 overs) 207
Fall of wickets: 1/56, 2/96, 3/114, 4/161, 5/168, 6/169, 7/189.
Bowling: Robinson 8-0-49-0, Thomas 10-0-35-3, Williams 7-0-20-0, Lewis 9-0-36-2, Felecian 10-0-28-0, Cummins 6-0-30-1.
West Indies:
N George c J Sharma b M Maben 16
N Williams b N A Khadeer 41
G Greaves c A Jain b Maben 0
J Nero c H Kala b D David 18
V Felecian c A Jain b D David 1
E Wiliams c and b N A Khadeer 6
D A Lewis c A Jain b Khadeer 2
J Robinson c and b Khadeer 1
F Thomas st A Jain b N David 38
A Mohammad c J Sharma b N David 4
F Cummins not out 1
Extras (b-1, wb-6) 7
Total (all out in 47.5 overs) 135
Fall of wickets: 1/20, 2/23, 3/57, 4/63, 5/73, 6/82, 7/88, 8/98, 9/134.
Bowling: M Maben 5-0-16-2, S Paranjpe 4-1-23-0, N A Khadeer 10-1-22-4, D Kulkarni 10-1-20-0, D David 9-3-15-2, N David 9.5-2-38-2.
