India’s women team created history by defeating the world champions England in the three-match ODI series by a margin of 2-1.
Prior to the start of the final match, the series was brilliantly poised at one-all. All three games of the series were hosted at the Vidarbha Cricket Associaton, Nagpur.
It was England’s captain Heather Knight who won the toss and elected to bat first to set a decent total on the board and apply pressure later with the ball.
Unfortunately for the English side, their batting could not quite click, as they crawled towards 201 by the end of fifty overs, losing nine wickets.
It was a one-woman show for England with the bat, as Amy Ellen Jones scored a gritty 94 off 119 deliveries, which consisted of seven boundaries and a maximum.
The knock justified her selection at the highest level, as she could not open her account in the series with the two outings before.
Amy Ellen Jones found only little support at the other end. Captain Heather Knight was the only one with some contribution. Jones deserved a ton for her efforts, but unluckily, was run out six runs short of her maiden hundred.
It was a collective effort from the Indian bowlers which enable them to contain the English to 201. Jhulan Goswami, Poonam Yadav, Deepti Sharma, and Rajeshwari Gaekwad, all chipped in with a couple of wickets.
Indian opener Smriti Mandhana continued with her purple patch with yet another important knock of 53 which came off just 67 balls. Luckily for England, her inning was cut short, as she declared retired hurt.
Mandhana was adjudged as the player of the series for amassing 181 runs in the series. The remaining formalities were completed by the vigil of Mithali Raj and flamboyance of Deepti Sharma.
India’s captain, Mithali Raj, stood like a rock for her unbeaten 74, which finished the game for the side.
Deepti Sharma chipped in with her brisk 61-ball 54 and also bagged the player of the match accolade for her all-round effort.
The comprehensive eight-wicket win enabled India to clinch the series by 2-1 against England, who defeated India in the World Cup last year.
Brief Scores
England Women 201-9 (50)
Amy Ellen Jones 94 (119); Heather Knight 36 (59); Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2/32; Deepti Sharma 2/35
India Women 202-2 (45.2)
Mithali Raj 74*(124); Deepti Sharma 54*(61); Anya Shrubsole 2/37; Danielle Hazell 0/32
India Women won by eight wickets
https://twitter.com/BrokenBanker/status/984330234097995776
India vs England Final ??
▶Toss: England Women (Batting)#INDWvENGW #MithaliRaj #HarmanpreetKaur #SmritiMandhana pic.twitter.com/9ytSLHhDqJ— Cricpur (@cricpur) April 12, 2018
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