CHENNAI, India, CMC – Off-spinner Anisa Mohammed says she is thrilled by becoming the first international bowler to take 100 wickets in Twenty20 Internationals but said that joy was eclipsed by West Indies Women’s come-from-behind win in their opening game of the Twenty20 World Cup.
The 27-year-old took three for 25 from four overs to help West Indies Women defend their paltry 103 in their Group B game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, to beat Pakistan Women by four runs.
“We were restricted to 103 runs. I knew I was three wickets away from becoming the first woman to get to a hundred wickets but once I stepped on to that field, my main focus was helping my team win,” the Trinidadian said.
“I blocked off getting to a hundred, I just wanted to do my best. But when I got that 100th wicket, I felt really good knowing that I didn’t just get 100 wickets, it happened in a World Cup and that made it all the more special for me.”
She added: “To take 100 wickets and help our team win their first group game, it was a big achievement and a good feeling.”
Mohammed has been the side’s frontline spinner for close to a decade, and is one of the squad’s senior players, having played 93 One-Day Internationals and 81 T20 Internationals.
She has already taken 130 wickets in ODIs.
Her performance was more important after the Windies Women’s batting failed again, managing a mere 103 for eight off their 20 overs.
However, Mohammed said the team put everything into defending the total and the effort ultimately paid dividends.
“Our batters over the last couple games haven’t gotten to a really good score but it was good to see our bowlers all stepped up. Even our fielders stepped up … and helped us cross that line in winning our first game,” she pointed out.
She added: “I think a lot of it (poor batting) had to do with the conditions. They (Pakistan) bowl a lot of spin bowlers and the wicket was taking a lot of spin … so I think the conditions had a lot to do with it.
“We have three days before our next game against Bangladesh – who also have a lot of spinners – so we have three days to work on that and hopefully we’ll come out better.”
