Jahzara Claxton‘s three-for, followed by Eboni Brathwaite‘s rapid half-century, sealed a dominant eight-wicket win for West Indies in Harare, which gave them an unassailable 2-0 lead in their T20I series against Zimbabwe.

After being put in to bat, the Zimbabwe openers Kelis Ndhlovu and Beloved Biza started slow but steady, stringing together a 46-run partnership which was broken in the ninth over by Afy Fletcher. No. 3 Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano built on Zimbabwe’s start, in the company of Biza until she was pinned lbw by Claxton in the 13th over.

However, if Zimbabwe’s top three had all crossed 20, none of the rest of their five batters could cross into double digits themselves. The delivery after Biza’s dismissal, Christine Mutasa was out lbw as well.

Mugeri-Tiripano fought for her 28-ball 25 till the final over bowled by Claxton, when she was run out. Claxton would pick out one last dismissal – off the final delivery of the innings – to finish with 3 for 14.

Once West Indies came out to bat in their modest chase of 107, the game was good as over by the end of the powerplay. They had already scored 69 for 2, way past the halfway mark to their target. Most of these runs came courtesy Brathwaite, who fell on the penultimate delivery of the powerplay. She made 57 runs off 23 balls, hitting six sixes and three fours at a strike-rate of 247.82.

Thereafter, West Indies lost no more wickets. The third-wicket partnership between Realeanna Grimmond and Stefanie Taylor razed off the 38 remaining runs off in just 3.2 overs. West Indies sealed a dominant series win with eight wickets and 65 deliveries to spare.