England clinched the three-match Women’s T20I series 2-1 with a commanding six-wicket victory over India in the decider at Taunton on Tuesday, successfully chasing down a challenging target of 181 with nine balls to spare.
The hosts reached 184 for four in 18.3 overs, completing one of the highest run chases in their T20I history. The victory was built around a sensational 137-run partnership between Alice Capsey and Heather Knight, who combined to rescue England after a dramatic top-order collapse.
England’s chase began in disastrous fashion as Sophia Dunkley, Danny Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones were all dismissed inside the PowerPlay. With just 38 runs on the board and three wickets down, India appeared firmly in control.
Pacer Kranti Gaud played a key role in the early breakthrough, removing Wyatt-Hodge and Jones. Her dismissal of Wyatt-Hodge stood out as a particularly impressive delivery that jagged back sharply to crash into the stumps.
However, Capsey and Knight turned the match on its head with a brilliant counterattack. Displaying a mix of aggression and composure, the pair dominated both pace and spin to steadily wrest control away from India.
Capsey was the chief aggressor, smashing 82 off just 43 balls, an innings featuring nine boundaries and three sixes. She reached her half-century in only 27 deliveries before accelerating further, notably taking on left-arm spinner N. Shree Charani with a sequence of boundaries and maximums.
Knight provided the perfect foil at the other end. The experienced batter remained unbeaten on 70 from 42 balls, striking 10 fours and showcasing a range of inventive strokes, including reverse sweeps and upper cuts. Her calm presence ensured England never lost momentum during the chase.
Although Capsey eventually fell to Arundhati Reddy, England required only six more runs at that stage, and the outcome was virtually sealed.
Earlier, India posted a competitive 180 for five after being sent in to bat. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur anchored the innings with a well-made 56 from 40 balls, registering her 17th T20I half-century and her first against England. After a cautious start, she found her rhythm in the latter stages of the innings to guide India towards a strong total.
Veteran all-rounder Deepti Sharma contributed an important 32 from 24 balls, and together the pair added 67 runs for the fifth wicket. India also received useful contributions from Yastika Bhatia, who scored 32 off 18 balls, and Jemimah Rodrigues, who made 29 from 19 deliveries.
Despite posting what appeared to be a competitive score, India’s bowlers were unable to contain England’s middle-order resurgence. The defeat gives Harmanpreet’s side valuable lessons ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, where India will begin its campaign against Pakistan in Birmingham on June 14.
