The final scoreline of the five-match T20I series read 3-2 in favour of India against England; a series win which left Harmanpreet Kaur proud of her team, but in reflection, India could have won all five matches. If their defeat at The Oval couple of matches earlier was a case of a comfortable run-chase gone wrong at the final stages, they nearly flipped that script on Saturday night at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
167/7 in their 20 overs, India saw the hosts get off to an absolute flier in the second half, thanks to a century opening stand, but slowly started to pull things back in the second half. Eventually, England needed 6 off the last over to win the consolation match but Arundhati Reddy’s accurate bowling and a stunning catch from Radha Yadav made it a thrilling finish. England needed 1 off the last ball, and Sophie Ecclestone tapped the ball to mid on, took off for a single as she would. But Smriti Mandhana, at mid on, missed a fairly straightforward run out chance – with the stumps right in front of her, the underarm throw missed the mark with the batter well short of her crease; and what should have been a tied match followed by a Super Over, ended up going England’s way.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛!! 🤯
Radha Yadav takes a stunning catch to dismiss Amy Jones and fuel India’s winning chase! 🌟
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Shafali impresses
Right through her comeback series, Shafali Verma was threatening in flashes at the top of the order. She showed glimpses of what she offers to this Indian team but never quite kicked on for a big score. In the final match of her tour (she is not a part of the ODI setup as things stand) she ensured the selectors and management will have some thinking to do ahead of the 50-over World Cup team selection. Her knock of 75 off 41 balls, with 13 fours and a six, was a reminder of the firepower she possesses when in the zone, perhaps the only batter in the current Indian set-up with the ability to strike at this rate and throw the opponents’ off their plans. Despite losing the wickets of Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodriigues in the powerplay, Shafali ensured India got to a decent total on a pitch where the three England spinners extracted some help. But she barely got any support from the other end, apart from a late 16-ball 24 by Richa Ghosh.
The target of 168 was made to appear well below par by Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, the latter receiving a reprieve early from young Sree Charani, who dropped a catch at short fine leg early in the innings. She’d go on to drop another sitter late in a match in what was a tough night on the field. The English openers put on 101 in just over 10 overs, before India started to chip away at the wickets column that kept the required rate in a tricky zone. Tammy Beaumont, the stand-in skipper, released some of the pressure with a superb cameo of 30 off 20 balls, but an otherwise expensive Arundhati struck first ball of the last over to send her back. Then came the stunner from Radha at deep midwicket, when Amy Jones mishit a slog. Arguably the best Indian fielder currently, Radha made good distance running forward but still had to put in a full length dive to complete the catch.
They came. They saw. They conquered the series! 🐯🏆
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