England Women secured a thrilling five-wicket victory against India Women in the fifth and final T20I at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Saturday. In a nail-biting finish, England chased down India's 168-run target off the very last ball of the match. Although England won the match, India had already clinched the series, 3-2, marking their first-ever T20I series win against England.
India, after winning the toss, posted a total of 167/7 in their 20 overs. Shafali Verma was the star performer for India, smashing 75 off 41 balls, which included 13 fours and a six. Verma's aggressive innings helped India recover from an early setback, after Smriti Mandhana (8) and Jemimah Rodrigues (1) were dismissed cheaply. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur contributed 15 runs before Charlie Dean rattled her stumps. Late cameos from Richa Ghosh (24 off 16) and Radha Yadav (14) helped India reach a competitive total. Charlie Dean was the pick of the England bowlers, taking 3 wickets for 23 runs. Sophie Ecclestone also chipped in with 2 wickets for 28 runs.
England's chase was spearheaded by Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who scored a composed 56 off 37 deliveries, including nine boundaries. Wyatt-Hodge was dropped early in her innings, a costly error by Sree Charani. Sophia Dunkley provided excellent support, smashing 46 off 30 balls, with three fours and a six. The opening duo shared a century stand, taking England to 50 inside the first six overs and 95/0 at the halfway mark. Radha Yadav eventually broke the partnership, dismissing Dunkley in the 11th over. Deepti Sharma then removed Wyatt-Hodge in the following over, but England continued to push forward.
The final over, bowled by Arundhati Reddy, was filled with drama. Tammy Beaumont (30) was dismissed off the first ball, followed by Amy Jones (10) who was caught by a stunning diving catch from Radha Yadav. With five runs needed off the final three balls, Sophie Ecclestone hit a thick outside edge past backward point for three runs. Paige Scholfield took a single, leaving one run required off the last ball, with Ecclestone on strike. Ecclestone managed to tap the ball and run, sealing a narrow, last-ball victory for England.
Despite the loss in the final T20I, India had already secured the series victory, winning their first-ever T20I bilateral series against England. Shafali Verma was a standout performer for India throughout the series, while Charlie Dean's bowling performance earned her the Player of the Match award in the final game. Shree Charani was recognized as the Player of the Series for her consistent contributions throughout the tournament.
Both teams will now shift their focus to the three-match ODI series, which begins on Wednesday, July 16, in Southampton.
