India vs England women | India’s batting fails once again as England come storming back to level the series

04/09/2018

An all-round effort from England women ensured that they levelled the series 1-1 after they crushed the hosts who were dismissed for just 113. Sophie Ecclestone and Danielle Hazell took four wickets each before the visitors' top-order chased down the paltry total with effortless ease.

Brief scores: India 113 all out in 37.2 overs (Smriti Mandhana 42; Sophie Ecclestone 4-14, Danielle Hazell 4-32) lost to England 117/1 in 29 overs (Danielle Wyatt 47, Tammy Beaumont 39*; Ekta Bisht 2-44) by 8 wickets.

After managing to just sneak out through a win (by one wicket) in the first ODI, the Indian women team’s batting unit crumbled once again. After winning the toss and batting first on a pitch that was offering plenty to the slower bowlers, India began decently with Devika Vaidya (11) putting on 31 for the opening wicket. But the latter’s dismissal opened the floodgates as India kept losing wickets.

Eight Indian batters fell for single-digit scores as they crumbled to 113 all out in 37.2 overs. Smriti Mandhana was once again the top-scorer (42) for the team while Deepti Sharma was the only middle-order batter who stuck around and scored a valiant 26 and stayed unbeaten. The Indian innings never got going especially after the fall of the first wicket. Deepti Sharma and Smriti Mandhana tried their best to resurrect the innings but the England spinners were brilliant. Sophie Ecclestone (4/14) and Danielle Hazell (4/32) were the wreckers-in-chief as they took four wickets apiece and ran through the Indian batting line-up.

Chasing just 114, England were off to a solid start as Danielle Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont shared a 73-run opening stand. Wyatt scored a 43-ball 47 as she struck 5 fours and 2 sixes in her innings. Beaumont, on the other hand, took her time and remained unbeaten on 39. Skipper Heather Knight, who picked up a hamstring injury in the T20I tri-series, returned and did well as she scored 26 batting at No. 4. England finished off the chase in just 29 overs and levelled the series.

The series-decider will be played on April 12 (Thursday).