England secured a thrilling victory over Australia in the third T20I of the Women’s Ashes series, marking their first T20 series win against their rivals since 2017. The match, held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, saw the hosts emerge victorious by five wickets. Chasing a target of 119 runs on the basis of DLS Method, England showcased their resilience as they reached the required total with four balls to spare, finishing at 121-5.
The game-breaker of the match was Alice Capsey, whose explosive innings of 46 runs from just 23 balls turned the tide in England’s favour. Capsey’s breathtaking stroke-play propelled the home team towards victory. She was well-supported by Nat Sciver-Brunt, who contributed a valuable 25 runs and partnered with Capsey in a crucial 68-run stand for the third wicket.
However, England faced a momentary setback when they lost two wickets in consecutive balls, with Sophia Dunkley departing after scoring 9 runs. It was a crucial phase in the match, but England managed to maintain their composure and keep their chase on track.
Earlier, Australia posted a competitive total of 155-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Perry, Gardner, and Mooney were the key contributors with scores of 34, 32, and 32 respectively. The England bowlers, led by Sciver-Brunt, put up a disciplined performance to restrict the Australian batting line-up. Sciver-Brunt finished with figures of 2-31, playing a pivotal role in restricting Australia to a manageable total. During the innings break, the heavens opened up and a result, we saw a revised target.
England’s pursuit of victory received an initial boost from the explosive start provided by Danielle Wyatt, who blazed her way to 26 runs off just 15 deliveries. However, she fell victim to a delivery from Megan Schutt, adding to the excitement of the match.
With this triumph, England has not only broken their T20I drought against Australia but has also injected a surge of confidence into their campaign in the Women’s Ashes. The focus now shifts to the upcoming ODI series, where England will be determined to continue their winning momentum and level the scores against the reigning Ashes champions, which currently stands at 6-4 in favour of the visitors.