The Indian women's cricket team is currently engaged in a five-match T20I series against England in July 2025. With the series underway, India will be looking to seal the series against England. After three matches, India leads the series 2-1.

In the fourth T20I, the spotlight will be on India's top-order batters, particularly Harmanpreet Kaur and Shafali Verma, to provide a solid foundation and score valuable runs.

Harmanpreet Kaur's Role

Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Indian women's team, is a vital cog in the batting lineup. Known for her aggressive style and ability to score quickly, Harmanpreet's form will be crucial for India's chances in the upcoming matches. In the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025, she had a significant impact, striking at a rate of 154.87, which was her best in any tournament. She also hit 11 sixes, equaling her combined tally from the first two WPL seasons. Her performance in the WPL 2025, where she scored 302 runs, also earned her the Player of the Match award in the final, highlighting her importance in crucial games.

Kaur has also achieved a lot of milestones in her career. She is the only Indian woman cricketer to have scored more than 3,000 runs in T20Is. In March 2025, she also became the first captain to win multiple WPL trophies.

Shafali Verma's Form

Shafali Verma, the young opening batter, is known for her explosive hitting and ability to provide quick starts. Her recent form in domestic cricket has been impressive, with 527 runs in the Senior Women's One Day Trophy and 414 runs in the Senior Women's One Day Challenger Trophy, both at a high strike rate. In the WPL 2025, Verma continued her good run, scoring 304 runs in 9 matches with a strike rate of 152.7. She has also demonstrated her ability to form strong partnerships, as evidenced by her 146-run stand with Jess Jonassen in the WPL 2025, the second-highest partnership in the league's history.

Verma has also achieved a lot of milestones at a young age. In a T20I match, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma recorded the most runs (2,724) as a pair in women’s T20Is.

Match Dynamics

The fourth T20I is scheduled to be held in Manchester on July 9, 2025. India will aim to capitalize on their current lead and secure the series victory. England, on the other hand, will be desperate to bounce back and level the series. The match is expected to be closely contested, with both teams eager to assert their dominance.

In the previous match of this series, England won by 5 runs. India will be looking to bounce back and Harmanpreet and Shafali will be key to their chances.

Conclusion

As the Indian women's team aims to seal the T20I series against England, the performances of Harmanpreet Kaur and Shafali Verma will be crucial. Their ability to score runs and build partnerships will be vital for India's success. With both teams determined to win, the fourth T20I promises to be an exciting and closely fought contest.