England's 2017 World Cup Win (Source: @englandcricket/X.com)
On this day, eight years ago, England's women clinched their fourth Women's World Cup title in 2017 after defeating India by a bare margin of nine runs in the finale. The historic match, which took place at Lord's in London, saw India choking in the final few moments of the game, as England kept their nerve.
Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor's Partnership Kept England In Hunt
The English women's side won the toss and opted to bat first at Lord's in London, where they were able to put up what seemed like a below-par total of 228 runs after their 50 overs, losing seven wickets. Nat Sciver turned out to be the highest scorer for the side, with 51 runs, while wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor scored a useful 45.
Meanwhile, lower-order batters Katherine Brunt (34) and Jenny Gunn (25*) also contributed, as England somehow managed to still put a respectable total on the board. Jhulan Goswami was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 23 runs in her 10 overs, as India kept England under their radar with some excellent bowling. The conditions were largely difficult for batting, which proved why even 228 was going to be challenging for India.
India Choke From 191/3 To 219 All Out As England Flipped The Script Courtesy Anya Shrubsole
In reply, India lost their opener, Smriti Mandhana, early in the second over, while skipper Mithali Raj could only score 17. Nonetheless, the duo of Punam Raut and Harmanpreet Kaur did everything in their power to keep India in the game with their fluent hitting.
Kaur departed for 51 after facing 80 deliveries as India lost their third wicket on 138, whereas Raut went on to score a brilliant 86, when India lost their fourth wicket in the 43rd over with 191 runs on the board, when only 38 runs were required for victory with six wickets in hand.
However, that's when the narrative changed. Veda Krishnamurthy, who was batting on 35, departed soon, while none of the other batters, except Deepti Sharma (14), could even get to double digits.
Anya Shrubsole from England picked up six wickets in her 9.4 overs, following which India, from a dominant position with 191 for three, were all of a sudden bowled out for 219 in 48.4 overs, as England claimed their fourth ICC Women's World Cup title in 2017 by just nine runs.
Shurbsole's Brilliance Puts India's Hardwork In Drain
Shrubsole, a right-arm medium bowler, turned out to be the star for the England side as she claimed wickets of all the important batters, right from the start till the end, as the visitors couldn't see her off.
For India, it was more than just a loss, as they failed to rewrite history, which, in the end, was just nine runs away from them. This turned out to be one of the closest finals ever in history, not just in women's cricket, but international cricket overall. England's all-round effort ensured the victory for the Three Lionesses, as Heather Knight registered her name in the legendary list.
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