India Women vs England Women: Harmanpreet Kaur-led India are on the cusp of history as they have taken a 2-0 lead in the five-T20I series against England. On July 1, India beat England by 24 runs at County Ground, Bristol. Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur starred with 63-run knocks. England's top order failed and Tammy Beaumont's half-century was not enough to get hosts close to target. This is England's first T20I defeat at the venue.
Rodrigues hits fifty after slow start
England captain Nat-Sciver Brunt won the toss and opted to bowl first. Smriti Mandhana hit two fours off the first over. In the second over, Shafali Verma did not expect the short ball and was caught by wicketkeeper Amy Jones off Lauren Filer's bowling. Rodrigues was promoted up the order and she found the gaps during fielding restrictions. Mandhana, in her 150th T20I, departed for a run-a-ball 13. Harmanpreet on return could not do much with the bat and was dismissed by Lauren Bell for a single. India were 35/3 after powerplay overs. Amanjot and Rodrigues kept the tempo up in the middle overs. Rodrigues targetted Em Arlott and hit her for a six and two fours in the 11th over. She reached her fifty from 33 balls.
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Amanjot hits fifty, Ghosh's cameo takes score past 180
Amanjot joined the party and hit Sophie Ecclestone for three fours in the 13th over. The fourth-wicket partnership was broken by Bell. Rodrigues departed for a 41-ball 63, featuring nine fours and a six. Richa Ghosh did not let the tempo drop. She completed her 1,000 T20I runs. In the 17th over, Ghosh got a reprieve as Beaumont dropped her catch. In the same over, Amanjot reached her half-century from 35 balls. In the last over, three boundaries were hit. India posted 181/4.
Beaumont helps hosts recover after top-order collapse
England lost early wickets in the run chase. Due to a mix-up Sophia Dunkley was run out in the first over. Her opening partner Daniel Wyatt-Hodge could not do much either and was dismissed by Deepti Sharma as she took the aerial route. Sciver-Brunt hit a few boundaries but became Amanjot's victim in the fourth over. After powerplay overs, England were 32/3. Radha Yadav conceded 15 runs in the seventh over as Beaumont tried to get the run chase back on track. In the 10th over, Beaumont hit Sneh Rana for three consecutive boundaries. England were 76/3 at the halfway stage.
Fielding brilliance ends the game for England
In the 11th over, Beaumont reached her fifty from 33 balls, her first since September 2021. In the 12th over, a brilliant stop by Rana led to Beaumont getting run out. She scored 54 runs from 35 balls, including eight fours and a six. After initial struggle, Jones scored boundaries as well. Shree Charani struck twice in her third over to send Capsey and Jones packing. Jones was caught and bowled for a 27-ball 32. Arlott was dropped early in her innings but it did not make an impact. As the required run rate as out of hosts' grasp, Ecclestone played a 23-ball 35 cameo. England managed to post 157/7 and lost the match by 24 runs. Amanjot was named 'Player of the match' for her all-round show.
The third T20I of the series will be played on July 4 at Kennington Oval, London. If India win the third T20I, they will register their first T20I series win on England soil.