Smriti Mandhana scored a scratchy run-a-ball 48 but that was enough to earn India a consolation five-wicket win against England in the IND vs ENG 3rd T20I on Sunday. England won the three-match series 2-1.
Batting first, captain Heather Knight`s 52 ensured a modest 126 for England with spinners — left-arm orthodox Saika Ishaque and off-break specialist Shreyanka Patil — scalping three wickets each.
For India, Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues (29 off 33 balls) added 57 for the second wicket. Mandhana hit five fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Ishaque (4-0-22-3) looked in her elements while Patil produced a fabulous 4-0-19-3, as England lost three wickets during powerplay and were reduced to 76/8 in the 15th over. But Knight joined forces with No 10 Charlie Dean (16) to put on crucial 50 runs for the ninth wicket to give England bowlers something to defend.
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Knight soaked the pressure well and hung around to unleash a late charge which had her finishing at 52 off 42 balls with three sixes and as many fours.
But England`s decision to bat first seemed to have backfired completely as the two Indian spinners Patil and Ishaque shared six wickets between them in the middle overs, after Renuka Singh Thakur`s (2/23) early inroads set the tone for the home side.
Renuka provided India the first breakthrough early on for the third time in as many games when she got one to nip back in and beat the defence of Maia Bouchier (0).
The senior India pacer struck again in her next over to have the dangerous-looking Sophia Dunkley (11) caught by Patil at point for the second wicket.
An inspired bowling change had Harmanpreet Kaur summoning Ishaque, who had the struggling Alice Capsey (7 off 16 balls) in the sixth over.
England were 32/3 after six overs and a slow recovery had them crawling to 62/3 halfway through. The pair of Ishaque and Patil got together again for another success, with the left-arm spinner getting Amy Jones (25) caught at deep midwicket in the 12th over and on the next delivery, Ishaque cleaned up Danielle Gibson (0) to leave England reeling at 67/5 in the IND vs ENG 3rd T20I.
The regular rotation of bowlers seemed to be working for India as it was Patil who got her first wicket in the game in the 13th over.
(With agency inputs)
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