Harmanpreet Kaur-led India Women were outclassed in the third and final T20I of the T20I series against England Women. One Indian batter who stood out of the lot is wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh. The teenager scored 33 runs from 22 deliveries to help the visitors cross the 100-run mark and post a respectable total. She also created a T20I record while doing it.
Richa's 33-run knock is the highest score by a wicketkepeer batting from no.8 to 11 in women's T20Is. She broke Cameroon's Nantia Kenfack's record created last year. Nantia scored 23 runs against Nigeria. While Nantia holds the record for associate nations, Pakistan's Sidra Nawaz holds the record for full-member nations. Sidhra scored 22 runs against England in 2019 in tail-end batting position.
Richa came to bat in the 14th over when India were struggling for 52/6. None of the top five batters scored in double-digits. Two of them -- Sabbhineni Meghana and Dayalan Hemalatha -- registered ducks as India were 35/5 in 10th over.
Richa scored 33 runs from 22 deliveries with a strike rate of 150. Her cameo included five fours. She scared crucial partnerships with Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar to help India post 122/8. Deepti scored 24 runs from 25 deliveries whereas Vastrakar remained unbeaten for 19 off 11 deliveries including two fours.
India also broke their personal record in T20Is. After the fifth wicket, India scored 87 runs at County Ground, Bristol. The previous best was against Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam in 2014.
The hosts registered an easy win as they chased down the target of 123 with 10 balls to spare. Opener Sophia Dunkley missed her half-century. Dunkley scored 49 runs from 44 deliveries including six fours. She shared a 70-run opening partnership with Danielle Wyatt.
Inside nine runs, England lost three wickets in three overs. Vastrakar got rid of Dunkley whereas wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones got bowled by Radha Yadav. In-form Alice Capsey led the charge and scored 38 runs off 24 deliveries to guide England home. On the other end, Bryony Smith remained not out for 13 off 14 deliveries.
