India achieved a historic milestone at Old Trafford by clinching their first-ever T20 international series victory in England after winning the fourth match by six wickets. The Indian team showcased remarkable skill and strategy throughout the game, leaving England struggling to keep up.
Radha Yadav expressed her excitement, stating, “This time, this team, this atmosphere, it’s magical. We want to create something big going forward. We are going to dominate, no matter what.” This sentiment reflects the team’s ambition and confidence moving into future competitions.
Despite being ranked higher in the International Cricket Council’s T20 standings, England was decisively outplayed. They posted a modest total of 126 for seven runs, hampered by poor shot selections and outstanding fielding from India, which prevented England from scoring any boundaries between the 11th and 19th overs.
India’s openers, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, set a strong tone, accumulating 53 runs in the powerplay. This solid foundation allowed Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues to carefully guide the team to victory, with Rodrigues hitting the winning runs and finishing the match with three overs to spare.
Tammy Beaumont acknowledged England’s struggle to defend such a low total, remarking, “It’s really difficult to defend a score like that when you know they’re going to come out and play freely and get ahead of the game.” The team’s lack of runs became a critical factor, along with the absence of experienced players like Nat Sciver-Brunt, who was sidelined due to injury.
In addition to the team achievements, Deepti Sharma made a significant personal milestone, becoming only the second Indian woman to reach 300 international wickets during the match.
This series victory not only marks a significant achievement for India but also showcases the team’s growth and potential on the international stage. With their current momentum, India looks poised to continue their strong performance in upcoming tournaments, igniting hopes of further successes in women’s cricket.