IND-W vs ENG-W 1st T20I: Shafali’s fifty in useless as England beats India by 38 runs to go 1-0 up in three-match collection

Leading as much as the primary T20I in opposition to England, India’s ladies’s staff had all the things in its favour — the recognized circumstances, big crowd assist and most significantly, it gained the toss.

However, as soon as the ball obtained rolling on the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday night, England rode on marauding fifties by Natalie Sciver-Brunt (77, 53b, 13×4) and Danni Wyatt (75, 47b, 8×4, 2×6) to place up a mammoth 197 for six — its second-highest whole within the format — and ultimately bagged a 38-run win in opposition to the house aspect.

IND-W vs ENG-W 1ST T20I: FULL HIGHLIGHTS

Opting to bowl, India obtained off to a dream begin as Renuka Singh Thakur — coming back from a stress harm — castled Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey within the very first over. However, because the innings progressed, India didn’t press house the benefit as Wyatt and Sciver-Brunt consolidated en path to their 138-run stand for the third wicket.

England recovered from the early jolt and reached 89 for 2 on the midway stage of its innings as India was sloppy on the sector and missed a couple of catches, permitting the visiting aspect to attain at will.

As she took cost of the innings, Wyatt introduced again recollections of her iconic innings of 2018, the place she hammered a 64-ball 124 in opposition to India on the Brabourne Stadium. She hit debutant Saika Ishaque for a couple of boundaries, making life troublesome for the Indian bowlers. Wyatt obtained a lifeline when Pooja Vastrakar spilt a catch at long-on off one other debutant, Shreyanka Patil (two for 44), and made a lot of the alternatives.

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While Sciver-Brunt unleashed highly effective hits on either side — significantly sweep photographs — for her fifth T20I half-century in opposition to India, Wyatt went arduous on the Indian spinners earlier than being stumped by Richa Ghosh off Ishaque. In the ultimate overs, Ishaque and Patil got here to the fore and managed to maintain England below 200.

But India didn’t get going, in pursuit of its goal, as left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, coming off her shoulder surgical procedure, toyed with the house staff with three for 15 from 4 overs.

Having misplaced Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues early on, India did look to regroup with Shafali Verma (52, 42b, 9×4) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur forging a 41-run partnership. However, as Ecclestone cleaned up the skipper, India’s middle-order regarded misplaced within the chase. Though Richa got here up with a 16-ball 21-run cameo and tried to rebuild with Shafali, the staff was far off the end line.