Saturday, March 29, 2025
The Indian women’s cricket team made history on Wednesday by securing their first-ever T20I series win on English soil, defeating hosts England by 6 wickets in the fourth T20I match. With this victory, India took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
Led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian side delivered a well-rounded performance, especially in the bowling department. Radha Yadav’s tight and crafty spell of 4 overs for just 15 runs and 2 wickets earned her the Player of the Match award. Alongside her, Shreyanka Patil also kept the English batters in check, and together they restricted England to a modest 126/7 in 20 overs.
Opting to bat first, England struggled against India’s spin attack. The hosts lost two early wickets in the powerplay, managing only 38 runs. None of their batters crossed the 25-run mark as India applied consistent pressure. Radha and Shreyanka claimed four wickets between them, strangling the scoring and keeping England on the back foot throughout the innings.
Chasing 127, openers Smriti Mandhana (32) and Shafali Verma (31) gave India a flying start, putting on 56 runs in just 7 overs. The middle order chipped in with composed knocks from Jemimah Rodrigues (24) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (26), guiding India to victory with three overs and six wickets to spare.
This win not only gave India a 3-1 series lead but also marked a major milestone in Indian women’s cricket. India had never before won a T20I series of two or more matches in England since playing their first T20I there in 2006.
With one match left in the series, India will look to finish on a high, while England will aim to salvage pride. Regardless of the final result, the 2025 tour will be remembered for India’s historic series win—a defining moment powered by spin, strategy, and standout performances.
