India Women tightened their grip on the five-match T20I series against England Women as they restricted the hosts to just 126/7 in 20 overs during the 4th T20I at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Tuesday. The Indian bowlers, led by Radha Yadav and Nallapureddy Charani, delivered a disciplined performance to keep England’s batting in check on a surface offering some grip and turn.
Having won the toss and opting to bat first, England Women never really got going. The Indian bowlers struck early and consistently, not allowing any real partnerships to flourish. Sophia Dunkley looked promising with a brisk 22 off 19 balls, but her dismissal at 33/2 set the tone for a stuttering innings.
Key Moments of the First Innings
England’s batting woes began early, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge falling cheaply for 5. Alice Capsey and skipper Tamsin Beaumont tried to consolidate, but both fell just when it looked like they were settling in. Capsey’s lbw to Charani at 11.1 overs and Beaumont’s catch off Radha Yadav left the scoreboard reading 70/4.
Radha Yadav was the standout bowler, finishing with superb figures of 2/15 in her 4 overs, including the vital wicket of Beaumont. She was ably supported by debutant Nallapureddy Charani, who scalped 2 wickets for 30 runs and also played a role in a run-out to dismiss Charlie Dean.
England did manage a minor late flourish thanks to Sophie Ecclestone’s 16 off 10 balls and Issy Wong’s 11*, but their total of 126/7 is well below par considering the conditions and India’s batting depth.
Indian Bowling Highlights
- Radha Yadav: 4-0-15-2
- Nallapureddy Charani: 4-0-30-2
- Amanjot Kaur: 4-0-20-1
- Deepti Sharma: 4-0-29-1
- Arundhati Reddy: 3-0-16-0
Every bowler except Sneh Rana (1-0-12-0) bowled with purpose and accuracy. The spinners used the surface to their advantage, while the seamers maintained pressure with tight lines.
What’s at Stake?
India currently leads the series 2-1 and a win here would seal the series with one match to go. England, on the other hand, find themselves in a do-or-die situation and will have to bowl out of their skins to defend this below-par total.
The Indian batting line-up, featuring the likes of Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, and Harmanpreet Kaur, will fancy chasing down 127 unless England pull off a miracle with the ball.
With momentum on India’s side and their bowlers executing plans to perfection, the visitors will look to wrap up the series in style.
