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ENGW vs INDW | 2nd T20I: India level series after a dramatic finish

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India women’s team levelled the T20I series against England after winning the second match by 8 runs in Hove. Chasing 149 in 20 overs, the home side was restricted to 140/8. 

England had a disappointing start to the chase after losing Danielle Wyatt and Natalie Sciver early in the chase after the hosts were reduced to 31/2 before opener Tammy Beaumont and captain Heather Knight stitched a stand of 75 runs for the third wicket to steady the ship for the team. 

But Beaumont’s departure for 59 off 50 broke the shackles and the Indian team made a strong comeback. England lost wickets at regular intervals, courtesy some brilliant bowling and impressive fielding efforts and were left tottering at 137/8 to eventually suffer a defeat. 

In the eight wickets that went down for England, four came in the form of runout. Poonam Yadav and Deepti Sharma were the pick of the bowlers for India. While Yadav returned with figures of 2/17 in 4 overs, Sharma picked up one wicket at the cost of 18 runs in four overs. 

Earlier, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave India a solid start after the two put 70 runs on the board for the first wicket before Mandhana departed for 20 off 16. Verma who was looking in some good touch fell short of a fifty and was dismissed just a couple of runs after Mandhana’s wicket. 

Later, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma stitched a partnership of 40 runs for the third wicket. Kaur notched up a 25-ball 31 while Sharma remained unbeaten at 24 off 27 as India managed to score 148/4 in 20 overs. 

Harmanpreet Kaur hailed the team’s effort. “I think it was a great effort from the whole team. They were on the toes and I am very happy. We got a very good start. Two three overs, we didn't get many. Then I had to go as we thought we needed 150 at least to win. I would give credit to our bowlers. Was very important on these wickets as the ball was coming nicely on to the bat. Credit to the fielders as well for doing well. We always want to win wherever we go,” she said. 

England captain Knight lauded the efforts from the bowling unit while admitting that her dismissal did change the game. 

“I think we were very good for large proportions of the game, the way we pulled it back after that start was outstanding. Really proud of the bowlers. I couldn't get back in and it's just one of those things and it wasn't deliberate by Deepti. It was given out and that changed the game. We were in a great position and asked the batting group to be ruthless, we got to be better in the next game,” Knight said. 

The two teams will now play each other in the decider in Chelmsford on Wednesday. 

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