In a rain-shortened second ODI at the County Ground in Derby, the England women’s cricket team delivered a clinical performance to defeat India Women by eight wickets, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The match, initially scheduled for 50 overs per side, was reduced to a 34-over-a-side contest after persistent rain delayed the start. India Women, sent in to bat first, managed just 111 runs before being bowled out in 23.3 overs. England chased down the target with ease, finishing at 112/2 in just 17.2 overs, showcasing both batting dominance and strategic control.
Indian Batting Collapse
India’s innings never really found momentum. Opener Smriti Mandhana, who had shown promise in recent outings, fell early for 4. The top order crumbled under the pressure of disciplined English bowling. Only Jemimah Rodrigues managed to hold her own briefly, scoring 30 runs off 33 deliveries before falling to Lauren Bell.
Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma offered minor resistance down the order, but England’s bowlers didn’t let up. Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean led the attack, picking up two wickets each, while Nat Sciver-Brunt and Lauren Bell chipped in with crucial breakthroughs. India lost all ten wickets for just 111 runs in under 24 overs, marking one of their lowest totals in recent ODIs.
England’s Chase: Steady and Strong
In response, England’s openers came out with intent. Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier added a swift 55-run stand for the first wicket before Bouchier departed for 21. Beaumont continued her fine form, playing fluent strokes on her way to a match-winning 45 off 42 balls.
Heather Knight, leading the side from the front, contributed a calm unbeaten 24 and took the team home in partnership with Nat Sciver-Brunt. The hosts secured the win in just over 17 overs, with eight wickets to spare and a bonus point to underline their dominance.
Series in the Bag
With this win, England takes a 2-0 lead in the ODI series, sealing the series victory with one match left to play. The hosts had earlier won the first ODI in Chester-le-Street by 38 runs, where India’s batters had also faltered under pressure.
The final ODI will be played on July 23 at Lord’s, where India will aim to regain some pride, while England may look to test their bench strength ahead of future international fixtures.
Post-Match Reactions
Heather Knight praised her team’s composure despite the rain interruptions. “We were clinical with the ball and kept things tight. The conditions helped a bit, but our bowlers really executed the plan well.”
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur admitted the team needs to revisit its batting plans. “We’re disappointed with the way we batted today. We’ve got to adapt better, especially when the game conditions change suddenly. Credit to England for putting us under pressure early.”
Looking Ahead
The Indian team will need to regroup quickly and analyze the cause of back-to-back batting failures. With the T20 World Cup not far away, the team management is under increasing pressure to fix the batting order and find consistency.
The final ODI will also be crucial for players like Richa Ghosh and Harleen Deol to find form, as the team continues to search for a stable middle order.
