The Indian women's team lost the third T20 match against England by 5 runs, but Team India created a new world record in cricket history by taking 9 wickets in just 25 balls.
IND vs ENG 3rd T20: The third T20 match between the Indian women's cricket team and the England women's team saw a thrilling encounter that kept cricket fans on the edge of their seats until the very end. In this third T20 match played at The Kennington Oval, London, England defeated India by a mere 5 runs, but despite the loss, the Indian team created a record that no other men's or women's team in cricket history has achieved.
England's Strong Start, but a Shocking Collapse
England, after winning the toss, chose to bat first and laid the foundation for a long and b innings. The opening pair had scored 137 runs without losing any wickets in 15 overs. It seemed that England's score would cross 190. But after 15.2 overs, as soon as the first wicket fell, the team's entire batting order collapsed.
Only 9 wickets fell in 25 balls, and England could only score 171 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs. This figure is special because it's the first time in cricket history that a team has lost 9 wickets within 25 balls. This record has not been set in men's cricket, nor in women's, and neither in any format — T20, ODI or Test.
Team India's Bowlers Create Havoc
The biggest contribution to creating this record came from India's bowlers. Arundhati Reddy and Deepti Sharma bowled brilliantly, taking 3-3 wickets. Meanwhile, young bowler Shri Charani took 2 wickets and did not give the English batsmen any chance to play freely.
After the first wicket fell at 137, England's entire batting order collapsed. The sharp bowling and fielding of the Indian bowlers completely changed the direction of the match. Although India lost this match, the comeback shown in bowling has been recorded in the pages of cricket history.
Smriti-Shafali's Opening Partnership Gave a Strong Start
The Indian team, chasing the target, had a b start. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on an 85-run partnership for the first wicket, giving the team a great start. Shafali scored a blistering 47 runs off 25 balls, including 6 fours and 2 sixes. Meanwhile, Smriti played a composed innings of 56 runs in 44 balls and gave stability to the team.
However, after the dismissal of both openers, the Indian team's momentum slowed down. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur did score 23 runs, but even she couldn't take the winning run to the finish line. Team India could only score 166 runs for 5 wickets in their 20 overs and lost the match by 5 runs.
Record Created, but Victory Slipped Away
Although the Indian team lost the match, the credit for creating history also went to this team. England's taking 9 wickets in just 25 balls was nothing short of a miracle. Before this, it had never happened at any level in cricket history — whether it be men's T20, ODI or Test, or any format of women's cricket.
India Still Leads the Series
Despite the loss, India is still leading the 5-match T20 series 2-1. England managed to make a comeback in the series with this win, and the next two matches could now be decisive. The fourth match will be played on July 9 at the Manchester ground. A close contest can be expected between the two teams in this match, as England now has the pressure to save the series and India aims to regain its winning streak.
