England Clinches Narrow Victory Over India in Thrilling T20I Clash

In a nail-biting finish at The Oval, England edged past India by just five runs in the third T20I, keeping the series alive. Stand-in captain Tammy Beaumont led the team to victory despite several dropped catches. India, chasing a target of 172, showcased strong performances from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma but fell short in the final moments. The match was marked by dramatic shifts in momentum, with England's bowlers ultimately sealing the win. Read on for a detailed recap of this thrilling encounter.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 5, 2025, 03:14 IST

England's Comeback Victory in T20I Series

In a gripping encounter at The Oval, England managed to escape a precarious situation, securing a narrow five-run win against the Indian women's cricket team in the third T20I, thus keeping the five-match series alive.

With regular captain Nat Sciver-Brunt sidelined due to injury, Tammy Beaumont stepped up as the stand-in captain, leading England to a crucial victory that brought the series score to 1-2. Despite several dropped catches, England's bowlers held their nerve, preventing India from chasing down the 172-run target.

During India's chase, openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma started aggressively, but England's fielding errors proved costly. In the powerplay's final over, Lauren Bell misjudged a catch, allowing India to finish the first six overs at a strong 61 without loss.

England finally broke through with Sophie Ecclestone dismissing Shafali for 47 runs off 25 balls. Mandhana continued to fight back, but as the required run rate climbed, Jemimah Rodrigues attempted to relieve the pressure with two boundaries in the 12th over.

Mandhana reached her half-century with a well-placed four, but England's bowlers fought back, with Lauren Filer taking Rodrigues' wicket for 20 runs off 15 balls. India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, survived an early scare when Alice Capsey dropped a catch, but Filer soon had her revenge, dismissing Mandhana for 56 runs off 49 balls.

The catching woes continued for England as Bell dropped Richa Ghosh in the 18th over. Ghosh, however, could not capitalize on the reprieve and was caught by Charlie Dean shortly after. Ecclestone also dropped a catch off Amanjot Kaur, but despite these blunders, the match came down to a tense final ball, with India needing six runs. Harmanpreet's attempt fell short, and India ended their innings at 166 for 5.

Earlier, India’s bowlers, including Arundhati Reddy, Shree Charani, and Deepti Sharma, were in fine form, putting England under pressure as they lost eight wickets for just 25 runs in the last four overs.

England opted to bat first, with Sophia Dunkley and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge providing a strong start. Dunkley showcased her skills with a powerful innings, while Wyatt-Hodge found her rhythm after a slow start. Both players reached their fifties, marking the second instance of England's openers scoring fifties in the same innings against India.

As the match progressed, India tightened their bowling, with Deepti Sharma taking the crucial wicket of Dunkley, who scored 75 runs off 53 balls, ending a significant partnership. England's batting collapsed from a solid 137 for 1 to 171 for 9, with Reddy claiming multiple wickets in a single over.

Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma also contributed to the wickets, with England finishing their innings at 171 for 9, setting the stage for a thrilling chase.