England Women and India Women clashed in a thriller at the Oval in London. India had their chances to win the series but failed to close out the game. England‘s Sophia Dunkley’s 75 and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge’s 66 set the platform to score 171/9 and then their bowlers held their nerve in the death overs to keep the series alive.
Dunkley and Wyatt put on 137 for the first wicket to lay the platform for a big total. But India Women came back well to pick up 9 wickets in the death overs to keep the score down to 171/9 in 20 overs. In reply, India Women aided with some sloppy fielding from England Women got off to a racing start scoring 61 in the powerplay and 97/1 after 10 overs.
The duo of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on 85 for the first wicket. India Women despite being in control of proceedings failed to finish things off as Lauren Filer’s two wickets and others holding their nerves meant that India were 5-runs short of the target.
Sophia Dunkley and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge lay the platform as England post 171/9
England won the toss and decided to bat first on a decent looking surface. After getting off to a cautious start in the initial overs, the opening duo of Sophia Dunkley and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge shifted gears and took on the Indian attack. The duo played through the powerplay and accelerated in the middle overs as India could not find the wickets. They scored 44 in the powerplay and set it up for the death overs. Both completed their fifties.
Dunkley was the aggressor of the two and completed her half century in 35 balls at the completion of 10 overs. Wyatt-Hodge held one end up while Dunkley was playing her shots. India Women failed to get the breakthrough in the first 15 overs. Wyatt-Hodge completed her fifty in 34 balls in the 14th over as she got less strike in the partnership. At 137/0 in 15.1 overs, things looked bleak for the Indians. But that’s where the turnaround happened.
Deepti Sharma broke the partnership by getting rid of Dunkley for 75 off 53 balls through a low full toss which the batter tries to slog and hits it back to the bowler. Wyatt-Hodge was the key from hereon and looked set for more. Soon Arundhati Reddy got into the act and dismissed Alice Capsey. She made it two wickets in one over as Wyatt-Hodge was dismissed for 66 off 42 balls. Amy Jones came and went first ball through a great review by India as Reddy picked up 3 wickets in the 17th over.
Wickets continued to tumble for the hosts as Radha Yadav got her 100th T20I wicket by getting rid of Tammy Beaumont for 2. Charani got into the act and got rid of Scholfield for 4 and Issy Wong first ball as England were in a freefall. Deepti Sharma then got rid of the dangerous Sophie Ecclestone for 10 off 5 balls caught and bowled as England did not get the desired finish they were looking for. Lauren Filer came and went as well to Deepti as India were on a hat-trick multiple times. In the end, England finished with 171/9 in 20 overs. 5 extras given by the fielding side.
The Indian bowlers came back well with the ball. Deepti Sharma was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/27 in 4 overs. She was ably supported by Arundhati Reddy who finished with 3/32 in 4 overs. Nallapureddy Charani finished with 2/43 in 4 overs. A wicket also to Radha Yadav in her 1/15 in 2 overs. Radha picked up her 100th T20I wicket.
Lauren Filer’s two-wicket haul and great death bowling helps England restrict India and keep the series alive.Â
Chasing 172 to clinch the series at the Oval, India got off to a racing start inside the powerplay courtesy their openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. They were helped by English fielders as multiple catches were dropped throughout the innings. Shafali Verma was dropped by Lauren Bell off the bowling of Lauren Filer.
Verma made the most of it by punishing England as India put on 61 in the powerplay and the duo stretched their partnership to 85 runs. Mandhana was severe and was hitting the balls well against Dean in particular. Verma was in rampaging mood after the dropped catch but it was Sophie Ecclestone who got her wicket.
The 85-run stand was broken by Sophie Ecclestone as she knocked Shafali over for 47 off 25 balls. Jemimah Rodrigues joined Mandhana at the crease and she started on a positive note as India reached 97/1 in 10 overs needing a further 75 runs off 60 balls. At this stage, it was India’s game to lose as they had 9 wickets in hand.
England started to tighten the noose as runs slowly dried up. Charlie Dean was taken to the cleaners as both Rodrigues and Mandhana seemed in control of the chase. Mandhana got to her fifty off 38 balls yet another good innings but it was important she carried on and stayed till the end. Filer then got into the wickets column by dismissing Rodrigues for 20 off 15 balls as the second wicket fell for India in 13.1 overs.
England were ringing in tight overs and India somehow lost the momentum and was not able to finish things off. Drama followed in the 16th over. First, Harmanpreet Kaur the captain was dropped by Alice Capsey and then the next ball Filer struck to get rid of Smriti Mandhana the set batter and this was huge in the context of the game. Mandhana went for 56 off 49 balls. Kaur tried to keep the momentum going but was struggling out there.
England continued to drop catches as Richa Ghosh was now put down off Sophie Ecclestone with Lauren Bell being the culprit again. But Ghosh’s luck ran out as Charlie Dean pulled out a spectacular catch in the deep as India’s designated finisher fell for 7 off 10 balls. Issy Wong was the bowler with the wicket.
Dean took the catch inches from the ground running in from deep square leg. Then, in the final ball of the 19th over, Sophie Ecclestone dropped the catch as she reacted late with Amanjot Kaur getting a reprieve.
India needed 12 runs to win off 6 balls with Lauren Bell being tasked to bowl the final over. Runs were coming in singles and doubles and then in the third ball of the final over, Amanjot was put down by Paige Scholfield at long-on as England were poor in the field.
India needed 8 off 3 balls. With 6 needed off 1 ball, Harmanpreet Kaur failed to get the job done as Lauren Bell held her nerve with Ecclestone taking the catch at mid-off to spark off wild celebrations. Kaur fell for 23 off 17 balls as India finished with 166/5 in 20 overs. 6 extras given by the English bowlers.
For England. Lauren Filer picked up a couple of wickets for 30 runs in 4 overs. Sophie Ecclestone was miserly in her 1/24 in 4 overs. A wicket apiece for Lauren Bell and Isabella Wong. Charlie Dean went wicketless. England were poor in the field but still got the win and India from a winning position lost the plot and game. India still lead the series 2-1 with 2 matches to play and Sophia Dunkley was awarded the Player of the Match award.
What Lies Ahead.Â
England Women have roared back in the series despite being sloppy on the field. India Women leads 2-1 and lost the opportunity to clinch the series at the Oval. They will have another opportunity now at Old Trafford in Manchester. That’s where the fourth T20I is set to be played on 9th of July. Can India clinch their first-ever T20I series win in England or will England square the series with newfound momentum and confidence to set up a decider in Edgbaston later on?
Only time will tell. It was a thrilling game, one that India should have won, but England held their nerves in the end to keep the series. Let’s see what the fourth match has in store for us in Manchester.
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