Mithali Raj, after having become the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket, made sure that India remained alive as far as the points system arrangement of the tour is concerned, as she took India home in a last-over thriller to earn a consolatory win in the already lost ODI series.
However, the win at New Road meant two points for the India Women in the tour points system and now they are just trailing by two points only going into the T20I series which will have six points on offer.
Raj’s unbeaten 75 off 86 balls was one of the most prolific, thought through innings that any batter has played on this tour so far. With six to win in the last over and her partner, Sneh Rana having gotten out on the last ball of the previous over, it was all dependent on the Indian skipper.
She had Jhulan Goswami for company on the other end, who was required to provide a single on the second ball and bring Mithali back on strike. On strike with four to win and a clever Katherine Brunt markin5g her run-up, the Andhra Queen decided to use her best weapon, her writs and the ability to find gaps as she caressed a slightly overpitched ball, bisecting point and cover-point for a boundary.
The chase wasn’t easy at all for India even after the team got off to a required start with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana adding 46 for the first wicket in the first nine overs. However, once Shafali got out in her usual style of throwing away the wicket, Mandhana did try to keep the run rate going. But her partner at the other end, Jemimah Rodriguez wasn’t up to the work.
Soon both Jemimah and Mandhana were gone and India were struggling at 81-3. Mandhana was just one shy from her fifty when she got out. Two experienced players in vice-captain Harmanpreet and captain Raj go together and tried to build the chase. But like it has been on the entire tour, Harmanpreet failed once again, even as the pair added 50 runs for the fourth wicket. Deepti Sharma too took time getting in as the run rate kept mounting and then got out just when she was required the most.
At 164-5, with India needing 56 from 46 balls, in walked Rana. It feels she is made for tough moments as the girl from Railways stuck with her captain, adding important 50 runs off just 40 balls to get India near to the win. But blood rushed to her head it seemed as instead of playing a single and taking the game to the end, after she had already hit 24 off 21 balls, Rana tried to paddle sweep and was tangled in her shot as a Sophie Ecclestone delivery hit her stumps.
Earlier in the day, after the match being reduced to 47 overs each, India finally win the toss and sent England to bat first. The Indian team struck early removing the first match English hero Tammy Beaumont. Skipper Heather Knight and Lauren Winfield Hill tried to build the innings., However, India kept striking at regular intervals. Courtesy that, none of the English batters were able to breach the 50 run mark.
In fact, England Women had a mini-collapse of their own, as they were down to 197-9 in 44.5 overs after being 151-3 in the 33rd over. Deepti was the highest wicket-taker for India with 3-44 in her 10 overs.
Had it not been for a 13 ball 21 run partnership for the last wicket between Sarah Gleen and Kate Cross, the target could have been a lot less and the match a little easier for India.
The 38-year-old Indian skipper, Raj was adjudged Player of the Match for 75 while England’s Ecclestone was named Player of the Series for her eight wickets across three games.
The two teams will now meet in the first of the three T20Is at the county ground in Northampton on Friday, July 9.