India v England, 3rd women’s ODI as it happened: Mithali Raj leads India to a series win
Live updates of India vs England 3rd ODI.
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04:00 pm: That brings us to the end of this three match series. A thriller to start us off, a massive defeat to India following that and a clinical performance by the women in blue today to clinch the series.
The series will also be remembered for Mithali Raj’s record-breaking efforts - most appearances in women’s ODIs and most fifty-plus scores of all time, while Smriti Mandhana performed like the star she is these days.
A word for England as well, who were not full-strength, but put in some great performances!
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03:50 pm: The winning moments from India (which we missed watching due to the dead livestream)
03:38 pm: INDIA HAVE WON THE MATCH... And India have a series win to their name at home against World Champions England. Fifties for Mandhana, Raj and Sharma... and it also looks like Deepti Sharma got the winning runs with a six!
03:34 pm: India are now on the verge of a win - need less than 10 runs.
After 48 overs, India 177/2 - need 25 runs from 48 balls: Looks likes there has been some drama! Thanks to Mel Jones for updates from the ground.
India 171/1 after 40 overs: Apart from the scores, there is little else to update as the livestream has crashed multiple times. But fair enough to say, India are cruising to a series win.
03:20 pm: STAT ALERT - another record for Mithali Raj.
03:15 pm: FIFTY for Mithali Raj! The captain finds form in the decider and she’s taking India safely home. And this is her 50th ODI half century. SHE NOW HAS THE MOST FIFTY-PLUS SCORES IN WOMEN’S ODIS.
India 149/2 after 36 overs: This is a really mature performance from Deepti Sharma while Raj has played a captain’s innings. Heather Knight is running out of options as the spinners have just not been effective on this track today.
India 130/2 after 31 overs, target 202: Deepti has made sure there are no hiccups for India after losing Mandhana to illness. Req’d rate is under 4 RPO now.
India 124/2 after 30 overs: Deepti Sharma has come out swinging after Mandhana retired hurt. Her first 12 runs were three boundaries. India are 11 runs ahead of where England were and better off by two in the wicket column (although Mandhana is technically back in the pavilion)
India 105/2 after 25 overs: Oh dear. Soon after reaching her 50, Smriti Mandhana is struggling. Looks like she is unwell and has walked back to the pavilion. Gestured to the physio that she wanted to throw up. Hope it’s nothing serious. Deeepti Sharma walks in.
India 96/2 after 23 overs: FIFTY! 11th ODI half century for Smriti Mandhana and what a classy innings once again. She continues to impress one and all. Gets to her milestone off 61 balls.
DRINKS: India 75/2 after 18 overs: This is what India had been missing in the last two games - a partnership to rebuild after losing quick wickets. And Mithali Raj is central to that. She is on 23 off 44 balls, while Mandhana moves to 38 off 43 balls. A boundary each in the 18th over for the duo off Hartley - a delightful back-foot punch by Smriti and a drive to long on.
India 52/2 after 15 overs: 500 ODI runs for Smriti Mandhana in 2018 as she continues her wonderful batting form. Whaddaplaya!
India 50/2 after 13 overs: FIFTY comes up for India! Mithali Raj is looking good in this innings so far, finding her range especially with the cover drive - she drives well, you know she is good touch. Mandhana looking untroubled as has become the norm. This is a massive partnership for India.
India 33/2 after 10 overs: Raj comes in to bat and on comes Hazell to bowl. No surprises there, as the off-spinner has troubled Raj to no end in this series, getting her wicket in both the previous matches. Hazell bowls two maidens to begin with as well. Raj does get off the mark quickly but it was an uppish square drive.
India 24/2 after 7 overs: The move to promote Veda Krishnamurthy doesn’t pay off for India, and now that’s two early blows in the run-chase. Shrubsole gets the second wicket as well. This was landed on Veda’s pads, she is late to flick and gets a leading edge that loops up to point.
Time for Mithali Raj to find her form.
India 16/1 after 5 overs: A boundary each for Veda and Smriti as the run-chase gathers some steam. Quite a good move this, to promote Veda Krishnamurthy. Strengthens the middle order, provides Veda the chance to show she can play a different kind of game and make sure the scoring rate doesn’t sag too much.
After 3 overs, India 4/1: Not a great start for India, they have lost the returning Jemimah Rodrigues in the very first over, as she edges an away swinger to the keeper. Shrubsole with the wicket. And interestingly, it’s Veda Krishnamurthy in at No 3 today! Perhaps a move to strengthen the middle order.
01:00 pm: Time for India’s run-chase to begin... can they put up an improved showing with the bat?
End of innings, England 201/9 in 50 overs: Excellent bowling effort by India after losing the toss. Wicket still looks good for batting. But India capitalised on the double strike by Jhulan Goswami. They dropped a few catches but didn’t let those hurt them too much. They struck in regular intervals, never really allowed England to get into the game. But quality innings by Amy Jones. Will give her a lot of confidence. She hadn’t scored a fifty before this match. But guided England past 200 when they looked like scoring lesser. She was unlucky to miss out on a century though. Pulled a hamstring in the last over and was run out for 94.
12:10 am England 193/7 in 48 overs: 200, after all, looks possible, thanks to a couple of boundaries by Jones and Daniel Hazelle. Jones has moved into the 90s now. Already a good knock. She’d want to finish it with a maiden 100.
12:05 am England 177/7 after 46 overs: Last five overs, 18 runs, 2 wickets. England would need four big overs to get to a good total. Perhaps Jones will look to get the big hits now.
11:54 am England 167/7 after 43 overs: Gayakwad has done it again. Shrubsole who goes for a sweep, misses it completely and gets out LBW. It’s all up to Jones to take England to 200. Not sure if Harmanpreet can bat. So, India will want to restrict England further.
11:45 am England 159/6 after 41 overs: Superb bowling there by Gayakwad. Draws Elwiss up with a well-flighted delivery. But the ball straightens after pitching, beats Elwiss and goes to the ‘keeper Verma, who collects and dislodges the bails. Great chance for India to close England out below 200.
11:35 am England after 39 overs: 150 up for England. 11 overs left. But only five wickets left. How much can they make? Jhulan’s got three more overs left. Oh, and Harmanpreet’s still in the dressing room after hurting her finger.
11:17 am England after 34 overs: Poonam Yadav has tightened the screws on England with Wilson’s wicket in the last over. England are struggling. It’s now crucial for Amy Jones to carry on.
11:13 am England 125/4 after 32 overs: Amy Jones scores her maiden ODI half-century. Composed innings, too, with wickets falling around her. Hasn’t looked to play too many big shots. She has to carry on for England to post a competitive total.
11:00 am England 113/4 after 30 overs: Pace back again for India. Mithali’s perhaps looking for another wicket. But one more, especially Jones’ wicket, will hurt England’s chances.
10:50 am England 101/4 after 27 overs: Poonam Rawat has given India another breakthrough. Nat Sciver has played on. Not a great ball, kept a bit low. Sciver doesn’t read it well, looks to cut but drags it on to her stumps.
Um, nope.
10:35 am: England 90/3 after 24 overs: India finally get a breakthrough after two dropped catches. Deepti Sharma it is who takes the wicket – the big one – of Heather Knight. Harmanpreet Kaur at long on makes no mistake after Knight lofts the ball straight to her.
10:26 am: England 83/2 after 21 overs: England are looking comfortable now. Pressure on the Indian bowlers to pick another wicket. And, Jhulan Goswami dropped another catch of Amy Jones (off Poonam Rawat) at midwicket.
10:17 am: England 70/2 after 18 overs: A partnership is brewing, the innings is getting stable and England are starting look good. Jones and Knight are sweeping well and playing without any risks. They don’t look shaky against the spinners anymore. Six an over from here will get them over 260, which will be a very good total on this surface.
10:10 am: England 56/2 after 15 overs: England will realise they have enough time on their hands to post a competitive total. Knight and Jones are happy picking singles. This has been the story so far of the England innings.
09:59 am: England 45/2 after 13 overs: Dropped catch! Jhulan Goswami is unable to hold on to Amy Jones’ edge at first slip. She’s gutted. She usually holds on to them. She has more catches than anyone in women’s ODI cricket. But superb start by Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Lured Jones into edging the ball. England still looking a little shaky. India look like they’ll get another soon.
09:47 am: England 34/2 after 10 overs: England are trudging along, trying not lose more wickets. Fine spell of fast bowling by Jhulan and Pooja Vastrakar. Mithali Raj will be pleased with the way things have gone after losing the toss.
09:34 am: England 27/2 after 7 overs: Goswami has done it again. India couldn’t have asked for a better start. Both openers – Beaumont and Wyatt – back in the hut within 10 overs. Heather Knight and Amy Jones have a tough task of rebuilding the innings. But what a start this by India in the decider.
09:24 am: England 16/1 after 5 overs: Jhulan Goswami removes Beaumont early after England decided to bat first in this decider. Beaumont nicked a delivery that was going away from her. The Indians are pumped up. England would look not to lose another one here.
08:30 am: Good morning and welcome to the live blog of the third ODI in the 3-match series between India and England. Nagpur’s the venue again. After a crushing defeat in the second ODI that let England level the series, this match has become a virtual final for India. They’d be desperate to clinch the series after the defeats against Australia and in the tri-series.