South Africa, West Indies score comfortable wins

West Indies opened their World Twenty20 campaign with a notable victory against New Zealand in Galle as Deandra Dottin slammed a quick fifty, making short work of a decent total to complete a seven-wicket win. It was their first victory over New Zealand in either T20s or ODIs. Chasing 118, West Indies were pegged back by the dual loss of opener Tremayne Smartt and No. 3 Shanel Daley in the second over bowled by Erin Bermingham. But Dottin, who holds the record of the fastest T20 hundred off 38 balls, came together with Stafanie Taylor in a rapid 82-run stand that turned the game in West Indies' favour. Dottin hit six fours and two sixes in her unbeaten 42-ball 58 as West Indies completed the chase with two overs to spare.

New Zealand, put into bat, laid a strong platform as they reached 63 for 1 in the tenth over with captain Suzie Bates contributing 32 off 34 balls. But the fall of Sophie Devine triggered a collapse - New Zealand lost the next eight wickets for 47 - although the run-rate stayed around six an over. New Zealand's 117 was the second highest total in Sri Lanka, but Dottin's innings made the difference.

"Things went really well in this match," Dottin said. "We had momentum from the time we got on the bus to come to the ground. That led to us putting on a great display in the field and with the ball and that gave is the momentum when we went on to bat. I just went out and played my natural game. The plan was to punish the bad balls. Once the first few deliveries hit the middle of the bat, I got the confidence to play my shots. I just told myself I had to bat to the end, I decided to play each ball on its merit and look to hit the bad ball with meaning and into the gaps."

West Indies leapfrogged South Africa in Group B points-table on account of a better net run-rate after both teams notched up a win on the opening day of the Women's World T20.

"This win has set the stage for something big and we believe we can go on to win our other two matches and top the group," Dottin added. "We played the team which everyone felt was the hardest team to beat in the group, so it is up to us now to continue the good work and get even better."

Earlier, South Africa produced a strong performance in the field to score a comfortable six-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the opening match of Women's World T20 in Galle. After choosing to bowl, South Africa reduced the home side to 17 for 4 within the first eight overs - Susan Benade and Dane van Neikerk sharing two wickets apiece. Sri Lanka lost their fifth wicket when Marizanne Kapp effected a run out in the tenth over. Four more run outs followed and Sri Lanka were only able to manage 79. Captain Dilani Manodara top scored with 24 in an innings where nine batsmen failed to get into double figures.

South Africa wicketkeeper Trisha Chetty, who was involved in six dismissals in the first innings - four run outs, one stumping and one catch - led the response with a 40-ball 33. Apart from a minor hiccup in the tenth over when Deepika Rasangika got the wicket of Benade caught behind and two balls later, Sri Lanka manged to run out South Africa captain Mignon du Preez, there was no pressure on the batsmen and South Africa cruised to the target in the 18th over.