Image: India Women defeated England Women in the 4th T20I at Manchester / © ESPNCricinfo
The game where India Women clinched a historic T20I series victory on English soil was a thrilling display of skill and strategy at Old Trafford, Manchester, on July 9, 2025. In the fourth T20I of the India Women tour of England, India secured a six-wicket victory with 18 balls to spare, chasing down England Women’s total of 126/7 in just 17 overs. This win gave India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, marking their first T20I series triumph in England.
England Women, opting to bat first after winning the toss, faced a challenging task against a disciplined Indian bowling attack on a pitch that offered some assistance to spinners. The innings began with Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge opening the batting, aiming to set a solid foundation. However, India’s bowlers struck early, with Shree Charani dismissing Wyatt-Hodge for 5 in the third over, caught by Arundhati Reddy. The score was 21/1, and England were already under pressure.
Dunkley showed some aggression, hitting a four and a six to score 22 off 19 balls, but her stay was cut short in the sixth over when Deepti Sharma had her caught by Radha Yadav, leaving England at 33/2. The powerplay yielded 38 runs but cost two wickets, setting a cautious tone. Alice Capsey and captain Tammy Beaumont then tried to stabilize the innings, adding 35 runs for the third wicket. Beaumont played some crisp shots, scoring 20 off 19 with three fours, while Capsey contributed 18 off 21. However, both fell in quick succession, Beaumont caught by Reddy off Yadav in the 10th over, and Capsey trapped lbw by Charani in the 11th, with a review failing to save her. At 70/4, England were wobbling.
The middle order struggled to accelerate against India’s tight bowling. Amy Jones, the wicketkeeper, managed only 9 off 10 before being bowled by Amanjot Kaur in the 15th over. Paige Scholfield’s 16 off 18 provided some resistance, but she fell to Yadav, who was the standout bowler with an economy of 3.75. Charlie Dean’s run-out for 4 further dented England’s hopes. By the 16th over, England were 101/7, and a low total seemed inevitable. However, Sophie Ecclestone (16* off 10) and Issy Wong (11* off 10) provided a late flourish, adding 25 runs in the final three overs. Ecclestone’s six and Wong’s boundary helped England post a respectable 126/7 in 20 overs, with extras contributing 5 runs.
India’s bowlers were clinical, with Radha Yadav leading the way, conceding just 15 runs in her four overs while taking two wickets. Shree Charani also impressed, claiming 2/30, while Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma chipped in with a wicket each. Arundhati Reddy’s tight spell (0/16 in 3 overs) and India’s sharp fielding, highlighted by three catches from Reddy, restricted England’s scoring. The hosts managed only 6.30 runs per over, unable to dominate as India’s spinners dictated terms and despite reaching 50 in 7.5 overs and 100 in 16.3 overs, England’s innings lacked momentum, setting up a chase that favored India’s strong batting lineup.
Chasing 127, India Women approached the task with confidence, powered by their aggressive openers, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma and the duo started briskly, capitalizing on the powerplay to score 53 runs without loss. Verma was in explosive form, smashing 31 off 19 balls, including six fours, while Mandhana played the anchor role, scoring 20 by the end of the powerplay. Their 50-run stand came in just 29 balls, setting a strong platform. However, Charlie Dean broke the partnership in the seventh over, dismissing Verma, caught by Alice Capsey, for 31, with the score at 56/1.
Mandhana continued to hold the innings together, scoring 32 off 31 with five fours, but fell to Sophie Ecclestone in the ninth over, caught by Lauren Filer, leaving India at 69/2. Jemimah Rodrigues, unbeaten on 24 off 22, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur then took charge, ensuring no further hiccups. Their 48-run partnership for the third wicket steadied the chase, with Kaur playing an aggressive 26 off 25, including three fours. India reached 100 in 13.6 overs, needing just 27 more runs from 37 balls.
The chase remained on track, but England fought back briefly, with Issy Wong dismissing Kaur in the 16th over, caught by Ecclestone, and Amanjot Kaur falling to a run-out for 2 in the same over. At 119/4, there was a slight wobble, but Rodrigues stayed calm, guiding India closer to the target. Richa Ghosh, the wicketkeeper, joined her and finished the game in style, scoring 7* off 4 balls, including a four. India completed the chase in 17 overs, finishing at 127/4, with Rodrigues’ steady presence ensuring a comfortable victory.
England’s bowlers struggled to contain India’s batters. Sophie Ecclestone was economical, taking 1/20 in her four overs, while Charlie Dean and Issy Wong claimed a wicket each. However, Lauren Bell (0/32) and Lauren Filer (0/18) were expensive, unable to curb India’s scoring rate, which stood at 7.47 runs per over. A failed review by England in the 12th over against Harmanpreet Kaur added to their woes and India’s batters, backed by sharp running and clinical strokeplay, made the chase look effortless, sealing a memorable series win. The spinners’ control and the batters’ aggression ensured India lifted their game to a new level, securing a historic 3-1 series lead with one match remaining.
Coming to the England Women’s innings in the 4th T20I against India Women on July 9, 2025, at Manchester, their batting collapsed under pressure, resulting in a modest 126/7 in 20 overs and this is our TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game. Opting to bat first, England started shakily, losing Danni Wyatt-Hodge (5 off 7) early to Shree Charani in the third over and Sophia Dunkley’s brisk 22 off 19 offered hope, but her dismissal by Deepti Sharma in the sixth over left England at 33/2.
Tammy Beaumont (20 off 19) and Alice Capsey (18 off 21) steadied the ship, but both fell quickly, Beaumont to Radha Yadav and Capsey lbw to Charani, leaving England at 70/4 after 11.1 overs. The middle order faltered as Amy Jones (9 off 10) was bowled by Amanjot Kaur, and Paige Scholfield’s 16 off 18 ended with another Yadav wicket. Charlie Dean’s run-out for 4 further deepened the crisis at 101/7. A late push by Sophie Ecclestone (16* off 10) and Issy Wong (11* off 10) added some respectability, but India’s spinners, led by Yadav’s 2/15 and Charani’s 2/30, choked England’s scoring. With a run rate of 6.30 and only five boundaries in the last nine overs.
During the 4th T20I on July 9, 2025, in Manchester, Shafali Verma, TCNIs’s Hero of the Day, propelled India Women to a six-wicket victory over England Women. Chasing 127, Verma smashed 31 runs off 19 balls, with six fours and a strike rate of 163.15 and her bold start. alongside Smriti Mandhana saw India rocket to 50 in 4.4 overs. Their 56-run stand in 6.6 overs powered the powerplay, which yielded 53 runs.
Verma’s attacking shots unsettled England’s bowlers, with Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer conceding runs at 10.66 and 9.00 per over and though dismissed by Charlie Dean, caught by Alice Capsey in the seventh over, Verma’s fiery knock laid a strong foundation. Jemimah Rodrigues, unbeaten on 24 off 22, and Harmanpreet Kaur, with 26 off 17, calmly steered India to 127/4 in 17 overs, maintaining a run rate of 7.47 and finishing with 18 balls to spare. India clinched a historic 3-1 series lead and Verma’s early aggression eased the chase for her teammates, making the target feel straightforward and cementing her role as the match’s spark.