IND-W vs ENG-W: Smriti Mandhana’s unbeaten 79-run knock helps Indian Women roar back into series

Indian Women’s cricket team roared back into their ongoing T20I series against England after registering an 8-wicket win in Derby on Tuesday. Smriti Mandhana was the orchestrator in chief, courtesy of her unbeaten 79-run inning, the Women in Blue have levelled the series 1-1. 

Off-spinner Sneh Rana snarred three wickets earlier in the contest, as India prevailed with 20 balls to spare. 

England’s decision to bat first on Tuesday night backfired as Indian bowlers raised their performance by a notch to reduce the hosts to 54 for five inside 10 overs.

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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.

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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.

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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 complete the formalities as India 146 for two in 16.4 overs.

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In fact, Mandhana hit three boundaries off Davies in the 17th over — first smashing through backward covers, then creaming through midwicket and then completing the chase with a smacking shot over the bowler’s head to the long-on boundary.

England had won the first match by nine wickets. The third T20 of the three-match series will be played in Bristol on September 15.

With inputs from PTI