India women clinch first T20 series over England

Manchester

India’s women’s cricket team made history by winning their first-ever T20 series against England with a strong six-wicket victory in the fourth match at Old Trafford. With this win, India took a 3-1 lead in the five-match series, with one game left to play in Birmingham on July 12.

India’s spinners played a key role in the match. Radha Yadav took 2 wickets for 15 runs, young Shree Charani took 2 for 30, and Deepti Sharma grabbed 1 for 29. Together, they restricted England to only 126 for 7. India's fielders also supported well, keeping England under pressure.

Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana started the chase confidently. They shared a 56-run stand, scoring 32 and 31 runs respectively. Despite both falling quickly after their good start, Jemimah Rodrigues (24 not out) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (26) guided India home with 18 balls to spare.

This series win is a big moment for India, who had never won a T20 series against England before, whether at home or away. The victory gives the team confidence ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup in England next year.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her team, saying everyone played their role well and they were able to execute their plans perfectly. This match also saw her equal Mithali Raj’s record for most international matches played by an Indian woman (333).

Deepti Sharma also tied the record for most wickets in India-England T20Is with England’s Sophie Ecclestone, both having 23 wickets. India’s strong all-round show marks a new high for women’s cricket in the country.