India’s batting faltered on the loss of life as England held their nerves to pull off a slender five-run win in an exhilarating third women’s T20 International in London, holding the series alive.
It was a rare day on the Kia Oval on Friday (July 4, 2025) evening, the place England managed to triumph regardless of a spectacular batting collapse and sloppy fielding.
Opting to bat, Sophia Dunkley (75) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (66) smashed commanding fifties in a 137-run opening stand earlier than England misplaced 9 wickets for simply 31 runs in 25 balls to submit 171 for 9.
In reply, India regarded in full management with Smriti Mandhana (56) and Shafali Verma (47) including 85 runs for the opening wicket, aided by a number of reprieves from England’s butterfingered fielders.
However, Lauren Filer (2/30) bowled a fiery spell to dismiss Mandhana in the sixteenth over and set off India’s slide. Sophie Ecclestone (1/24), Lauren Bell (1/37) and Issy Wong (1/36) chipped in with a wicket every to limit India to 166 for five in their 20 overs.
Needing six runs off the ultimate ball, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (23) fell to Bell whereas trying an enormous shot as India fell quick by a boundary.
“We had the game till the 16th over, we did not utilise (the advantage). The dew factor also came in. We did well in patches but lots of learning for us,” Harmanpreet mentioned after the match.
“The bowlers were outstanding and the fielders supported us. We came back strongly after their opening stand. They executed their plans really well. We fell short by just one boundary in the end.”
India had been eyeing their maiden T20I series win over England however Dunkley and Wyatt-Hodge got here out blazing. Dunkley smashed seven fours and a six in her 53-ball knock, reaching her fifty in 35 balls after being dropped on 43.
Wyatt-Hodge, dropped twice in the ninth over, struck seven boundaries and three sixes in her 42-ball innings.
Deepti Sharma (3/27) broke the stand, dismissing Dunkley in the sixteenth over when she mishit a full-toss again to the bowler. Arundhati Reddy (3/32) then triggered a collapse in the seventeenth over, eradicating Alice Capsey (2), Wyatt-Hodge, and Amy Jones (0).
Capsey was caught by Charani N Shree trying a ramp shot off a slower ball. Four balls later, Wyatt-Hodge hit one other slower supply straight to Harmanpreet earlier than Arundhati trapped Jones lbw subsequent ball, confirmed on evaluation.
Tammy Beaumont (2) was bowled by Radha Yadav (1/15), whereas Charani (2/43) dismissed Paige Scholfield (4) and Wong (0). Deepti returned to dismiss Ecclestone (10) and Filer (0) to finish England’s innings.
Chasing 172, India raced to 61 in the powerplay. Shafali, dropped in the second over, smashed seven fours in her 25-ball 47 earlier than falling to Ecclestone in the ninth over.
Mandhana reached her fifty in 38 balls, however her dismissal to Filer after taking part in six consecutive dots gave England hope.
Jemimah Rodrigues (20) fell to Filer whereas Richa Ghosh, dropped by Bell in the nineteenth over, was caught in the deep off Wong on the lookout for an enormous hit.
With India needing 12 off the final over, Scholfield dropped Amanjot Kaur to scale back the equation to eight off 4 balls. Harmanpreet managed solely two off the penultimate supply earlier than falling on the ultimate ball as England stayed alive in the series.
India will face England in the fourth match in Manchester on Wednesday (July 9, 2025).
