England Women levelled the three-match ODI series against India Women with a convincing eight-wicket win at Lord’s in the second match. Chasing a target of 144 in a rain-curtailed game reduced to 29 overs per side, England produced a strong batting performance led by openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones.
Beaumont and Jones got England off to a flying start with a 54-run partnership. Beaumont scored 34 off 35 before falling, but the foundation was set. Skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt then joined Jones and kept the innings ticking at a steady pace until rain interrupted proceedings in the 19th over. At that point, England were cruising at 102/1 in 18.4 overs, needing just 42 runs from 62 balls. They were well ahead of the DLS par score.
However, as per 50-over match rules, a minimum of 20 overs must be completed in the second innings to constitute a full match. For a while, it seemed the rain might rescue India, as contrasting scenes played out at Lord’s: England players and head coach Charlotte Edwards looked tense, while the Indian camp appeared relieved.
But thanks to the excellent drainage system and quick work by the groundsmen, play resumed after a 20-minute break. The revised target for England was 115 in 24 overs, meaning they needed just 13 runs off 32 balls. The short break brought India a brief moment of joy as Kranti Gaud bowled Sciver-Brunt, nipping one back onto the stumps. However, Jones (46 not out) and Sophia Dunkley ensured there were no further hiccups as England sealed the win in 21 overs.
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After the match, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur admitted her side didn’t bat well and gave credit to England’s bowlers. “We didn’t bat well. They didn’t give us any chance to execute better, credit to them. Toss was very important, overcast conditions, wasn’t easy to bat but fought well to set a decent total. Weren’t able to get early wickets and put pressure on them. Today was an odd day, apart from today’s match we’ve played really good cricket, got to remember that when we go for the next match.”
Earlier in the day, Smriti Mandhana’s 42 and Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 30 were the only notable contributions in India’s total of 143/8 in 29 overs, after being asked to bat first. England’s spin trio — Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, and Linsey Smith — dominated the middle overs, picking up six wickets collectively. Ecclestone was named Player of the Match for her three-wicket haul.
With the series now tied at 1-1, all eyes are on the decider, scheduled for 22 July at Chester-le-Street.
Also Read: ENG-W vs IND-W, 2nd ODI: India reach Modest Total as England Spinners Dominate