India Look To Create History As They Eye First-Ever T20I Series Win Vs England

News18

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India aims for their first women's T20I series win against England, leading 2-0. Harmanpreet Kaur's team excels with standout performances from Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol.
Riding a wave of momentum, India aims to secure their first-ever women's T20I series win against England as they face the hosts in the third match of a five-game series on Friday.
Harmanpreet Kaur and her team have been in exceptional form, delivering a record-breaking 97-run victory in the series opener and following it up with a 24-run win in Bristol, marking England's first-ever T20I loss at the venue. This has given India a commanding 2-0 lead.
India last defeated England in a solitary match in Derby in 2006. Since then, the Women in Blue have consistently fallen short in every women's T20I series against England, both at home and away.
This dominant performance is a timely boost for India as they continue to adapt to English conditions, a crucial phase in preparation for next year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup in England.
The Indian team has functioned seamlessly so far. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who scored a century, and Harleen Deol were pivotal with the bat in the opening match.
In the second game, Amanjot Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues rescued India from a precarious position with crucial half-centuries, helping them to a strong total.
However, the focus now shifts to big-hitting opener Shafali Verma, who is eager to make a significant impact. Back in the squad, Shafali has struggled with scores of 20 and 3 in the series and is desperate for a defining innings.
Skipper Kaur, who missed the first match as a precaution after a head injury in a warm-up game, will also look to spend more time in the middle after her brief two-ball stint in the second match.
The Indian bowling attack has performed admirably in the absence of pace spearheads Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar.
Left-arm spinner Sree Charani has emerged as the breakout star in her debut series, leading the wicket charts with six scalps and boasting the best economy rate in the series at a miserly 5.11.
For England, a key issue has been the inability of openers Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge to provide a solid start.
While Dunkley has had some promising starts, Wyatt-Hodge has accumulated just 18 runs in five innings this summer, including three consecutive ducks. Their bowling has also been below par.
Squads:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Sayali Satghare, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Goud, Arundhati Reddy, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav.
England: Natalie Sciver-Brunt (c), Tammy Beaumont (wk), Sophia Dunkley, Amy Jones (wk), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Paige Scholfield, Em Arlott, Lauren Bell, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Linsey Smith, Issy Wong.
Match starts at 11:05pm IST.
With PTI Inputs
First Published:
July 03, 2025, 12:24 IST