England narrowly avoided a series defeat against India in the third T20I at the Oval, thanks to a crucial partnership between Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, followed by a disciplined bowling performance. England's five-run victory keeps the five-match series alive, with India now leading 2-1.
The hosts, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, were propelled by a blistering 137-run opening stand between Dunkley and Wyatt-Hodge. Dunkley, who was later named Player of the Match, scored a fluent 75 off 53 balls, while Wyatt-Hodge contributed 66 off 42 deliveries. Dunkley was the first to accelerate, with an "immaculate straight drive" off Amanjot Kaur. Wyatt-Hodge initially took longer to find her rhythm but soon joined Dunkley, dispatching Shree Charani over deep midwicket. Their partnership provided the foundation for a substantial total, but a late-innings collapse saw England lose wickets rapidly, eventually finishing on 171/9. From a comfortable 137-0 in the 16th over, England lost 9 wickets for just 31 runs. Arundhati Reddy and Deepti Sharma each grabbed three wickets, while Shreyanka Patil took two, helping India pull things back.
India's chase began strongly, with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana putting on an 85-run partnership, pushing India ahead of the required run rate. However, England's bowlers fought back, with Lauren Filer making crucial breakthroughs. Filer's pace proved vital, as she removed Smriti Mandhana for 56 and also hit Richa Ghosh on the head with a sharp delivery.
The game went down to the wire, with India needing 12 runs off the final over, to be bowled by Lauren Bell. Bell held her nerve, delivering a brilliant final over, mixing cutters and slower balls to restrict the Indian batters. She conceded just six runs and took the crucial wicket of Harmanpreet Kaur on the last ball, securing a five-run victory for England. Radha Yadav reached the milestone of 100 T20I wickets during the match.
England had made three changes to their line-up for this crucial match, with Paige Scholfield replacing the injured Nat Sciver-Brunt. Issy Wong's pace was preferred over Em Arlott's accuracy, and Charlie Dean's off-breaks were chosen ahead of Linsey Smith's left-arm spin, signaling a clear intent to challenge the Indian batters with aggressive bowling. Tammy Beaumont captained England for the first time in T20Is.
Despite the loss, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur remained positive, acknowledging the strong comeback by her team's bowlers after the initial onslaught. She felt the team "did well in patches" and praised the fielders' support and bowlers' execution. Beaumont lauded her own team's death bowling and highlighted Filer's game-changing spell.
The series now moves to Manchester for the fourth T20I on July 9, where England will look to level the series, while India will aim to secure a series victory.
