Rookie spinners Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque and star opener Smriti Mandhana guide India to a 5-wicket win over England in the third T20I at Wankhede Stadium. It was a consolation win for India as England clinched the three-match series 2-1 after a dominant show in the first two matches at the same venue.
India chased down the 127-run target with an over to spare despite some late hiccups produced by Sophie Ecclestone who claimed the big wickets of Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh in quick succession.
Amanjot Kaur held nerves at the fag end of the innings and hit a couple of boundaries and then also hit the winning runs on the final ball of the penultimate over.
Earlier. India lost Shafali Verma early for just 6 but the partnership between Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues (29) revived the chase. The duo shared a 57-run stand for the second wicket.
Deepti Sharma failed to make an impact despite being promoted to number 4 and was dismissed for just 12. Richa Ghosh was castled for just 2.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who got injured while fielding, came to bat at number 5 and remained unbeaten for 6.
Mandhana started slow but accelerated in the slog overs to take India closer to victory but missed her half-century and was dismissed for 48. Her knock was laced with five fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Saika Ishaque (4-0-22-3) looked in her elements while Shreyanka Patil produced a fabulous 4-0-19-3, as England lost three wickets during powerplay and were reduced to 76/8 in the 15th over.
But England skipper Heather Knight joined forces with No 10 Charlie Dean (16) to put on crucial 50 runs for the ninth wicket to give England bowlers something to defend.
Knight soaked the pressure well and hung around to unleash a late charge which had her finishing at 52 off 42 balls with three sixes and as many fours.
Meanwhile, Renuka Thakur continued to shine with the new ball as she got one to nip back in and beat the defence of Maia Bouchier (0).
The senior India pacer struck again in her next over to have the dangerous-looking Sophia Dunkley (11) caught by Patil at point for the second wicket.
Ishaque got the better of struggling Alice Capsey (7 off 16 balls) in the sixth over.
England were 32/3 after six overs and a slow recovery had them crawling to 62/3 halfway through.
The pair of Ishaque and Patil got together again for another success, with the left-arm spinner getting Amy Jones (25) caught at deep midwicket in the 12th over and on the next delivery, Ishaque cleaned up Danielle Gibson (0) to leave England reeling at 67/5.
The regular rotation of bowlers seemed to be working for India as it was Patil who got her first wicket in the game in the 13th over.
Comments
0 comment