India got off to a good start after being brought in to bat first, with Smriti Mandhana contributing 31 of the 47 runs scored by the end of the powerplay. The backup skipper scored her 31st T20I fifty in the eighth over. Sophie Ecclestone’s first over had already been bowled for 19 runs. Shafali Verma, who struggled to get going, was dismissed for 20 off 22.
India Women defeated England Women by 97 runs at Trent Bridge in the opening T20I of the ongoing five-match series. The visitors delivered an absolutely dominant performance, securing a crucial advantage heading into the second game.
India reached 98/1 at the end of ten overs. Harleen Deol had already settled into a position at the crease before then. Alice Capsey nearly caught Harleen in her second over. However, a dolly dropped by Danni Wyatt-Hodge gave her a second chance. Ecclestone returned to bowl her second over in the fourteenth over of the innings. However, she was still unable to control the flow of runs.
Smriti Mandhana 14th four secured her maiden T20I tonne off only 51 deliveries.
Harleen retired for a well-made 43 off 23 in the same over, and Lauren Bell took her first wicket of the day. Bell (3/27 in four overs) concluded her performance with two more wickets, Richa Ghosh (12 off six) and Jemimah Rodrigues (0 off two). Mandhana (112 off 62) was removed in the last over of the innings.
India got off to a blazing start with the ball. They were able to dismiss Sophia Dunkley (seven off four) and Wyatt-Hodge (0 off three) within the first seven balls of the run chase. Tammy Beaumont (10 off 11) was the third English batter to fall within the first six overs. By the end of the sixth over, skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt had scored 37 runs.
Shree Charani, who had bowled her first over in the powerplay, put England in greater problems by taking Alice Capsey’s wicket (five off six) in her second over. Sciver-Brunt was three short of her fifty at the midway point. However, a massive 133 runs were required from the final ten overs. Ecclestone’s day took a turn for the worst when she was sent out after scoring only one run off four balls.
It was only a matter of time from that point forward. England Women faltered in the subsequent overs. Charani ended up with four wickets to her name. Her third and fourth wickets came from Sciver-Brunt (66 off 42) and Bell (two off four). These were the final two wickets to fall as India completed an emphatic victory.
India
