IND vs ENG 1st T20I: England women start series with a dominant win

Natalie’s all-round show—77 runs and the crucial wicket of Mandhana—powers England to 38-run victory over India; Wyatt slams valuable 75

Despite good crowd support and familiar home conditions, Harmanpreet Kaur’s India lost to England by 38 runs in the first women’s T20I at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing England’s 197-6, the hosts lost opener Smriti Mandhana (6) in the third over. And by the end of the Powerplay, India also lost one-drop batter Jemimah Rodrigues (4). However, Shafali Verma’s (52 off 42 balls, 9x4) attacking knock helped India reach 53-2 after six overs. They were 82-2 after 10 overs, requiring another 116 to win from the remaining 60 balls. But left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone (3-15) clean bowled the India captain, a dismissal that ended her 41-run stand with Verma. 

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Kaur scored a 21-ball 26 with the help of three fours and a six. 

Hard-hitter Richa Ghosh (16-ball 21, 1x4, 1x6) and Kanika Ahuja (15) tried their best, but their efforts were not enough for India to come near.

Earlier, Kaur put the visitors in, but the hosts fielded poorly and displayed a casual bowling effort. This helped Heather Knight’s team reach 197-6.

Pacer Renuka Singh Thakur (3-27) had a dream start when she sent back opener Sophia Dunkley (1) and one-drop Alice Capsey (0) off successive deliveries in the very first over of the innings. Capsey expected Thakur’s good-length ball to come in, but it went away and disturbed the right-hander’s furniture. However, thanks to Danni Wyatt (75 off 47 balls, 8x4, 2x6) and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s (77 off 53 balls, 13x4) attacking but sensible knocks, the visitors bounced back from 2-2 to build a 138-run stand in just 87 balls.

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Debutant off-spinner Shreyanka Patil claimed 2-44. She dropped Brunt on 45 off her own bowling and Pooja Vastrakar dropped Wyatt (52) at long-on in the same over. 

Finally, debutant left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque (1-38) broke the partnership when she tempted Wyatt through a flighted delivery and had her stumped by wicketkeeper Ghosh in the 16th over.

Brief scores
England 197-6 in 20 overs (N Sciver-Brunt 77, D Wyatt 75; R Singh 3-27, S Patil 2-44) beat India 159-6 in 20 overs (S Verma 52, H Kaur 26; S Ecclestone 3-15) by 38 runs

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