England slumped to a T20 series defeat against India as they lost by six wickets at Old Trafford to fall 3-1 behind going into Saturday’s final match at Edgbaston.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat, England laboured to 126 for seven, a rating padded out by 16 runs off the ultimate over due to sixes from Sophie Ecclestone and Issy Wong, on an evening when not one of the batters truly got going.
And the issue of defending that total quickly became apparent as India openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma hit nine fours off the primary 4 overs – greater than England had managed of their entire innings – to put the foundations for a convincing victory.
The series loss will come as a major reality check for Charlotte Edwards after her tenure began with a clean sweep of the West Indies in T20s and ODIs.
England had given themselves a lifeline within the series with a five-run victory on the Oval on Friday but India reasserted control in Manchester, stifling England with disciplined bowling and a few sharp fielding.
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England’s Innings
Danni Wyatt-Hodge had just watched Sophia Dunkley hit a six back down the bottom off Shree Charani, but when she tried the identical thing herself she was caught by Arundhati Reddy for five.
Dunkley followed for 22 three overs later, the victim of a pointy catch from Radha Yadav after spooning a brief delivery from Deepti Sharma to depart England on 33 for 2.
Tammy Beaumont and Alice Capsey were slowly constructing a partnership but, from the second ball after the drinks break, Beaumont (20) became Reddy’s next victim after failing to get enough power on Yadav’s delivery.
It felt a key moment within the innings as England fell to 68 for 3. Capsey soon followed for 18, trapped lbw by Charani and never even sticking around to see the results of the review she asked for.
Amanjot Kaur appeared to have hurt herself fielding a shot from Paige Scholfield but after receiving treatment, she bowled out Amy Jones for nine two deliveries later.
Scholfield (16) and Charlie Dean (4) each went within the seventeenth over – the latter run out in a terrible mix up with Ecclestone.
India’s Chase
Openers Verma and Mandhana wasted little time in setting in regards to the run chase, with 50 runs coming off the primary five overs.
Progress was stalled as Verma was caught by Capsey on the boundary off Dean for 31 before Ecclestone – who became the youngest woman to achieve 100 T20 appearances for England – claimed the large scalp of Mandhana for 32, tempting her to slice a shot into the hands of Lauren Filer.
The run rate initially slumped, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues on the crease, but India stayed on the precise side of the numbers required after which step by step began to turn the screw.
Kaur fell for 26, caught by Ecclestone off Wong, before Amanjot Kaur was run out for 2, but Rodrigues (24) and Richa Ghosh (seven) brought it home for India with 18 balls to spare.
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