ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — West Indies Women were saved from almost certain defeat by the rain after producing one of their worst-ever batting performances in the opening T20 International (T20I) against Sri Lanka Women here on Saturday.

The home side was skittled out for just 49 in only 13.3 overs after they chose to bat first at the National Stadium in a match that was reduced to 18 overs per side due to early showers.

It was their second-lowest total in T20Is, with only their 2022 performance against England when they were bowled out for 43, being worse.

No player got into double digits, with the highest individual score being seven.

The Windies were entangled by Sri Lanka’s spinning quartet of Kavisha Dilhari (3-5), Sugandika Kumari (2-8), Malki Madara (2-9) and Inoka Ranaweera (2-16).

Qiana Joseph’s struggles from the preceding One-Day Internatioanl series continued into the T20Is when she was dismissed by Kumari for six with 10 runs on the board.

Matthews, fresh off a match-winning century, was then bowled by Ranaweera to leave the score 18 for two in the fourth over.

Jahzara Claxton was then needlessly run out, and when Deandra Dottin was dismissed for a first-ball duck by Kumari, West Indies were in real trouble at 22 for four.

It soon became 28 for six following the cheap dismissals of Stafanie Taylor and Chinelle Henry, and when Madara claimed the wicket of Jannillea Glasgow for four the West Indies slumped to 32 for seven and were in real danger of being bowled out for a record total.

However, Aaliyah Alleyne scored an unbeaten seven to guide them past that score before Dilhari claimed the last three wickets of Shemaine Campbelle, Afy Fletcher and Karishma Ramharack to complete the rout.

Luckily for the West Indies, only 2.5 overs were possible in Sri Lanka’s run chase before heavy showers brought a premature end to the match with the visitors on seven without loss.