A reason to smile: Rookie spinners Saika Ishaque, Shreyanka Patil set up five-wicket consolation win for India

Mumbai, December 10

Spinners Saika Ishaque and Shreyanka Patil bowled brilliantly before another youngster Amanjot Kaur displayed lot of composure to earn India a respectable five-wicket consolation victory over England in the third and final WT20I here today. England, however took the big prize, winning the series 2-1.

Chasing a target of 127, which got trickier, Smriti Mandhana anchored India’s chase with a scratchy run-a-ball 48 but it was Amanjot’s boundaries, including a streaky winning reverse sweep under pressure, that got the hosts over the line with an over to spare.

This was India’s first T20I victory against England since September 2022. To be fair, England did play a second-string team, resting four of their star performers. It was also India’s first win at home against England since March 2018, after five straight defeats in the shortest format. Overall, it is only the eighth time that India have beaten England in 31 T20Is.

Mandhana cracked five fours and two sixes while the next best effort came from Jemimah Rodrigues, who chipped in with a vital 29 at No. 3. India lost Shafali Verma (6) in the third over but Mandhana and Rodrigues joined forces to take the team ahead. Rodrigues and Mandhana added 57 runs for the second wicket from 55 balls.

With India captain Harmanpreet Kaur twisting her foot during the first half of the game which forced her to leave the field in the 16th over, Deepti Sharma was promoted ahead of her at No. 4.

Deepti hit two fours in her 11-ball 12 before being caught behind off Freya Kemp in the 16th over, which brought Harmanpreet (6 not out) at the crease.

With 11 needed off the last two overs, Richa Ghosh (2) was dismissed but Amanjot smacked two fours through cover and hit the winning runs off Sophie Ecclestone (2/40) with a boundary too.

Earlier, rookie spinners Saika and Shreyanka made their first real impression in top-flight cricket with three wickets apiece but England skipper Heather Knight’s 52 took the visitors to 126 all out.

Renuka Singh struck early for the third match in a row, removing both England openers inside the first three overs. Shreyanka and Ishaque then ran through England’s middle-order as the visitors lost five wickets in the space of 21 balls, slipping from 67/3 to 76/8

But Knight joined forces with No. 10 Charlie Dean (16) to put on 50 runs for the ninth wicket and give England’s bowlers something to defend. — Agencies

Brief scores: England 126 all out (Knight 52; Patil 3/19, Ishaque 3/22); India 130/5 in 19 overs (Mandhana 48, Rodrigues 29, Amanjot 13*; Kemp 2/24).