Chelmsford, India Women’s cricket team registered a memorable victory over England Women in the second T20 International at the County Ground, Chelmsford, thanks to a record-breaking opening partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. The pair scripted history with a scintillating 143-run opening stand, leading India to a 23-run win and an unassailable 2–0 lead in the three-match series.
Highest Opening Partnership Against England
Mandhana and Verma’s 143-run opening partnership is now the highest by any Indian pair against England Women in T20 Internationals. The duo surpassed their own previous best and have now jointly recorded five 100-plus opening stands in WT20Is — the most by any Indian pair in the format.
Smriti Mandhana, playing with her trademark timing and grace, scored 79 off 52 balls, including 10 boundaries and 2 sixes. At the other end, Shafali Verma unleashed her aggressive intent, smashing 64 runs in 42 balls with 3 sixes and 7 fours. Their aggressive start saw India post a total of 183/2, their third-highest T20I total away from home.
England Falter Under Pressure
In response, England Women got off to a cautious start and failed to match India’s scoring rate in the powerplay. Danielle Wyatt (38) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (41) tried to steady the chase but lacked support from the middle order. Renuka Singh Thakur struck early and returned with figures of 2/25, while Deepti Sharma chipped in with 1/21 and a tight spell in the middle overs that stifled the scoring rate.
Despite a few boundaries in the final overs, England Women finished at 160/6, falling short by 23 runs.
Series Highlights and Player Milestones
- India have now won back-to-back T20I series in England, a rare feat in the women’s game.
- Smriti Mandhana became the second Indian woman to cross 3,000 runs in T20Is after Harmanpreet Kaur.
- Shafali Verma’s half-century was her first against England since her debut tour in 2021.
- The match witnessed a near-capacity crowd at Chelmsford, signaling the growing popularity of women’s cricket in England.
Post-Match Reaction
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her openers for setting the tone:
“Smriti and Shafali gave us the perfect platform. Their understanding and confidence at the top makes a huge difference. We’ve worked hard on our T20 approach, and it’s paying off.”
England skipper Heather Knight admitted her side was outplayed:
“We let them score too freely in the first 10 overs. Credit to India — their openers batted brilliantly and put us under pressure.”
What’s Next
The third and final T20I will be played on July 3 in Bristol. While India will aim for a clean sweep, England will look to bounce back and avoid a whitewash at home.
