The India Women's team has created history under Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy, becoming the first team to beat England in a five-match T20I series. Before the ongoing series, England had never lost a five-match contest to any team in the shortest format. However, the Women in Blue cracked the code and not only won the series but also thumped the hosts comfortably in each of their three wins so far.
India choke England with spin
It was yet another field day for India, this time in Manchester, as they restricted the hosts to just 126 runs after losing the toss. Despite four of the top six batters crossing the 15-run mark, none of them could convert the start thanks to India's spin troika of Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani and Radha Yadav who picked up six out of seven wickets to fall.
Amanjot Kaur complemented them well to come up with a brilliant spell of 1/20. It was only due to the 25-run unbeaten stand between Sophie Ecclestone and Issy Wong that England somehow managed to reach 126 runs in their 20 overs. Radha Yadav was the best among the lot for India, conceding only 15 runs in her four-over spell and picking up two wickets.
Smriti and Shafali get India off to a flyer yet again
Not for the first time in the series, India's opening duo of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma got the team off to a brilliant start. They added 56 runs in seven overs with the latter taking charge, scoring 31 runs off just 19 deliveries. Smriti was measured in her approach in this game on a slow pitch, scoring 32 off 31 balls while Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur also made sure that the chase was always in their control.
England bowlers tried their best, but 126 runs were never going to be enough on the surface. Sophie Ecclestone tried her best with a spell of 1/20 in her 100th T20I, but her tough series continued in terms of wickets.
Meanwhile, this is also the first time India have won a T20I series in England and they will now be looking to assert complete dominance with a win in the final game of the series as well.
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