Eboni Brathwaite’s 23-ball 57 and a three-wicket haul from Jahzara Claxton helped West Indies Women cruise to an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second T20I in Harare, sealing the three-match series 2-0 with a game to spare.
Zimbabwe, after being put in, made a steady start through Kelis Ndhlovu and Beloved Biza, who put on 46 for the opening wicket in 8.2 overs. Ndhlovu’s dismissal, however, triggered a period where Zimbabwe struggled to build momentum. Biza fell for a run-a-ball 35 in the 13th over, and Claxton struck again with the very next ball to remove Christine Mutasa for a duck.
Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano held the innings together with 25 off 28, but Zimbabwe could not find the acceleration they needed in the latter stages. Claxton returned to remove captain Josephine Nkomo in the final over and finished with 3 for 14 from her two overs, while Zimbabwe ended on 106 for 7.
West Indies made a mockery of the target almost immediately. Claxton fell early, but Brathwaite took charge, bringing up her fifty in just 20 balls. She struck three fours and six sixes in an innings that lasted only 23 balls and propelled West Indies to 69 in the Powerplay.
Even after Brathwaite eventually fell for 57 at the end of the sixth over, there was no respite for Zimbabwe. Realeanna Grimmond carried on the attack, hitting an unbeaten 23 off 16 balls, including two sixes, while Stafanie Taylor finished the chase with a four. West Indies reached 108 for 2 in just 9.1 overs, sealing the match and the series with 65 balls to spare.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 106/7 in 20 overs (Beloved Biza 35; Jahzara Claxton 3-14) lost to West Indies 108/2 in 9.1 overs (Eboni Brathwaite 57, Realeanna Grimmond 23*) by eight wickets
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