Indian women cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana hit a match-winning unbeaten fifty after off-spinner Sneh Rana claimed three wickets to hand the team a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over England in the second T20 International and level the series 1-1. England’s decision to bat first on Tuesday night went wrong as Indian bowlers performed brilliantly to reduce the hosts to 54 for five in less than 10 overs.
England found it difficult to play in the starting overs, losing wickets regularly before teenager Freya Kemp (51 not out of 37 balls) and Maia Bouchier (34 off 26) scored a 65-run partnership to build their innings.
But then Rana took the wicket of Bouchier in the 18th over, breaking the dangerous-looking partnership, and almost finishing the game for England. Kemp and Sophie Ecclestone tried hard and took England to 142 for six and gave their bowlers a reasonable score to defend.
Rana was a show stealer for India finishing her spell with 3 for 24 from her four overs, while Renuka Singh (1/30) and Deepti Sharma (1/21) picked up one wicket each. India strongly began their chase with Mandhana (79 not out of 53) and Shafali Verma (20) adding 55 runs in the first six overs.
