The second T20I in Bristol saw India and England both lose three early wickets, but the visitors recovered to post a match-winning total while the hosts couldn’t to the same degree. On Friday in London, the script was flipped at The Oval. England and India were both cruising during their batting innings comfortably before faltering at the end, but here, Harmanpreet Kaur’s stumble was worse than Tammy Beaumont’s side’s massive late collapse as they missed a golden opportunity to clinch the five-match series 3-0.
Batting, England had a century opening stand thanks to Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, bu from 137/0 in 15.1 overs, they lost 9 wickets in 29 balls to finish on 171/9. In response, India had the series win in sight, cruising at 123/1 in 13 overs – facing an easily achievable equation of 49 off 42 balls with the in-form Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues in the middle. But from there, they struggled to find the finishing momentum as England choked the run-flow with a plethora of slower balls to win the match by 5 runs and stay alive in the series at 2-1. That England managed to triumph was despite some awful fielding as they dropped clangers but the bowlers held on and India paid the price for batting with handbrakes on.
Opting to bat, Dunkley (75) and Wyatt-Hodge (66) smashed commanding fifties before England’s epic collapse, triggered by frequent wickets. India looked in complete control with Mandhana (56) and Shafali Verma (47) adding 85 runs for the opening wicket.
However, Lauren Filer (2/30) bowled a fiery spell to dismiss Mandhana in the 16th over and trigger India’s slide. Sophie Ecclestone (1/24), Lauren Bell (1/37) and Issy Wong (1/36) chipped in with a wicket each to restrict India to 166 for five in their 20 overs.
Needing six runs off the final ball, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (23) fell to Bell while attempting a big shot as India fell short by a boundary. “We had the game till the 16th over, we did not utilise (the advantage). The dew factor also came in. We did well in patches but lots of learning for us,” Harmanpreet said after the match.
“The bowlers were outstanding and the fielders supported us. We came back strongly after their opening stand. They executed their plans really well. We fell short by just one boundary in the end.”
India were eyeing their maiden T20I series win over England but Dunkley and Wyatt-Hodge came out blazing. Dunkley smashed seven fours and a six in her 53-ball knock, reaching her fifty in 35 balls after being dropped on 43. Wyatt-Hodge, dropped twice in the ninth over – by India’s best catchers Rodrigues and Harmanpreet – struck seven boundaries and three sixes in her 42-ball innings.
Deepti Sharma (3/27) broke the stand, dismissing Dunkley in the 16th over when she mishit a full-toss back to the bowler. Arundhati Reddy (3/32) then triggered a collapse in the 17th over, removing Alice Capsey (2), Wyatt-Hodge, and Amy Jones (0). Capsey was caught by Charani N Shree attempting a ramp shot off a slower ball. Four balls later, Wyatt-Hodge hit another slower delivery straight to Harmanpreet before Arundhati trapped Jones lbw next ball, confirmed on review.
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Tammy Beaumont (2) was bowled by Radha Yadav (1/15), while Charani (2/43) dismissed Paige Scholfield (4) and Wong (0). Deepti returned to dismiss Ecclestone (10) and Filer (0) to end England’s innings.
Chasing 172, India raced to 61 in the powerplay. Shafali, dropped in the second over, smashed seven fours in her 25-ball 47 before falling to Ecclestone in the ninth over. Mandhana reached her fifty in 38 balls, but her dismissal to Filer – after facing 8 dot balls in a sequence of 8 deliveries – gave England hope and was the first sign of India losing the plot in the run-chase.
A little while earlier Rodrigues (20) fell to Filer and later Richa Ghosh, dropped by Bell in the 19th over, was caught in the deep off Wong looking for a big hit – those were critical wickets as India’s two busiest batters fell cheaply.
With India needing 12 off the last over, Scholfield dropped Amanjot Kaur to reduce the equation to eight off four balls. Harmanpreet managed only two off the penultimate delivery before falling on the final ball as England stayed alive in the series.
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India will face England in the fourth match in Manchester on Wednesday.
(With PTI inputs)
