Smriti Mandhana yet again proved her prowess with the willow and produced a sensational knock which saw India Women Team seal an emphatic eight-wicket victory over England Women in the second T20I of the three-match series on Tuesday (September 13). With this win the series is now tied at 1-1 and Harmanpreet Kaur and Co will play the decider in Bristol on Thursday.
Chasing a below-par target of 143, Mandhana belted a stunning 79 off 53 which was well coupled with captain Harmanpreet Kaur's 29 off 22 as India went past the victory line with three overs to spare.
England found the going tough in the initial overs, losing wickets at regular intervals before teenager Freya Kemp (51 not out off 37 balls) and Maia Bouchier (34 off 26) shared 65 runs for the sixth wicket to resurrect their innings.
While the 17-year-old Kemp struck three fours and as many sixes during her rearguard knock, Bouchier decorated her innings with four boundaries.
But once Rana broke the dangerous-looking partnership, taking the wicket of Bouchier stumped by Richa Ghosh in the 18th over, the writing was on the wall for England.
Kemp, though, tried hard her level best and used her long handle to great effect to pick up 23 runs in the remaining 15 balls in the company of Sophie Ecclestone to take England to 142 for six and give their bowlers at least something to defend.
Rana was the wrecker-in-chief for India returning with fine figures of 3 for 24 from her four overs, while Renuka Singh (1/30) and Deepti Sharma (1/21) picked up two wickets at the top.
India began their chase in a fine fashion with Mandhana (79 not out off 53) and Shafali Verma (20) adding 55 runs in the first six overs.
Ecclestone finally got the breakthrough for England when Verma hipped back to the bowler, who dived to her right to complete a fine caught and bowled opportunity.
Dayalan Hemalatha (9) once again disappointed as Freya Davies cleaned her up 16 balls later.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (29 not out off 22) then joined her deputy Mandhana at the crease and the duo played effortlessly, stitching unconquered 69 runs for the third wicket to comple the formalities as India 146 for two in 16.4 overs.
In fact, Mandhana hit three boundaries off Davies in the 17th over -- first smashing throgh backward covers, then creaming through midwicket and then completed the chase with smacking shot over the bowler's head to the long-on boundary.
There were no sixes in the match from the Indian batters but Mandhana found the fence 13 times, while Harmanpreet and Verma struck four boundaries each.
It was a ordinary bowling display from the home team as Ecclestone (1/22) and Davies (1/30) were the only two wicket takers.
England had won the first match by nine wickets.
“After the last match we needed to come back stronger and level the series. I was pushing myself not to play a rash shot and take it deep. It’s good to bat, good wicket. I found my touch back, timing the ball the way I want to. You go out as an opener and try to give your team a good start,” Mandhana said after the match.
