Brathwaite, Claxton star as Windies seal series against Zimbabwe

West Indies lead the 3-match series, 2-0

West Indies 108 for 2 (Biza 35, Ndhlovu 25; Jahzara Claxton 3-14) beat Zimbabwe 106 for 7 (Brathwaite 57, Grimmond 23*; Christine Mutasa 1-15) by 8 wickets 

Eboni Brathwaite’s 23-ball 57 helped the West Indies chase 107 in 55 deliveries to claim an eight-wicket win in their second Women’s T20I against Zimbabwe on Monday. The result also gives the Caribbean side a winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Brathwaite hit six maximums, two of which came in Nomvelo Sibanda’s 16-run opening over, setting the tone for the visitors' chase. The fall of Jahzara Claxton (4) in the third did not deter Brathwaite, who took Nyasha Gwanzura for three consecutive maximums to begin the fourth, followed by a boundary.  

The 17-year-old brought up her maiden T20I fifty in 20 deliveries, the fastest by a West Indian woman. When Brathwaite departed with the penultimate delivery of the powerplay, the West Indies required 38 runs from 84 balls.

Another youngster, Realeanna Grimmond, then took charge, sharing in an unbroken 20-ball 39-run stand with Stafanie Taylor for the third wicket. Grimmond finished with 23 not out from 16 balls before Taylor (9*) hit the winning boundary to see the West Indies home at 108 for two in 9.1 overs.

Claxton earlier followed up her all-round player-of-the-match performance from game one by claiming 3 for 14 to help restrict Zimbabwe to a below-par total. 

Claxton removed top scorer Beloved Biza (35), putting an end to the promising second-wicket stand (32 from 25) fashioned alongside Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano (25).

Afy Fletcher had previously halted a sturdy opening partnership between Biza and Kelis Ndhlovu at 46 by trapping the latter lbw for 25. Zimbabwe failed to fashion any stand of note to follow, stuttering to 106 for seven in their allotment.