Southampton
Fresh from their historic T20I series win over England, the Indian women’s cricket team is brimming with confidence as they gear up for the three-match ODI series beginning Wednesday, July 16 in Southampton.
India scripted history by clinching their first-ever T20I series victory against England, edging the hosts 3-2 in the five-match contest. Now, with the ODI World Cup set to be held in India later this year, the team led by Harmanpreet Kaur aims to sharpen their 50-over strategy.
The Women in Blue last played in the Tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa in May, where they impressed with scores exceeding 300 in multiple games. Skipper Harmanpreet emphasized their new batting approach, saying, “Scoring over 300 gives our bowlers the cushion they need. We’ve focused on balance, using spin options effectively.” Young opener Pratika Rawal, who shined in the Tri-series and became the fastest Indian woman to score 500 ODI runs, continues to be preferred over senior player Shafali Verma.
India’s batting remains formidable with Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma adding depth. However, injuries to key pacers Titas Sadhu, Renuka Singh, and Pooja Vastrakar have forced a reshuffle in the bowling unit, now led by Arundhati Reddy. England, meanwhile, will be strengthened by the return of Nat Sciver-Brunt and world No. 1 ODI bowler Sophie Ecclestone, both back from injury. The series will be a vital preparatory platform for both teams ahead of the global tournament. Match starts at 5:30 PM IST.