England Narrowly Defeats India in 3rd T20I, Smriti Mandhana's Heroics Go in Vain

The Indian women’s cricket team missed the chance to seal the five-match T20I series against England at The Oval, as they suffered a narrow 5-run defeat in the third T20I. Despite a stellar half-century by Smriti Mandhana, England staged a strong comeback to keep the series alive. India now leads the series 2-1, with two matches remaining.

Match Summary

• England Women: 171/9 (20 overs)

  • Sophia Dunkley: 75 (53)

  • Danielle Wyatt-Hodge: 66 (42)

  • Arundhati Reddy: 3/26

  • Deepti Sharma: 3/28

• India Women: 166/5 (20 overs)

  • Smriti Mandhana: 56 (49)

  • Shafali Verma: 47 (25)

  • Lauren Bell: 1/24 (Bowled the last over)

Thrilling Last Over

Chasing 172, India needed 12 runs off the final over, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Amanjot Kaur at the crease. But England’s Lauren Bell held her nerve, conceding only 6 runs and dismissing Harmanpreet, sealing a tight win for the hosts.

Smriti Mandhana Shines Again

Smriti Mandhana, continuing her superb form from the first match (where she scored a century), struck 56 off 49 balls with 10 boundaries. She and Shafali Verma gave India a flying start, adding 85 runs in just 54 balls. Shafali was equally destructive, scoring 47 off 25 with 7 fours and 2 sixes.

However, once the openers fell, India’s middle order couldn’t capitalize. Contributions from Jemimah Rodrigues (20) and Harmanpreet Kaur (23) weren’t enough to chase down the total.

England’s Opening Blitz

After electing to bat first, England’s openers Dunkley and Wyatt-Hodge stitched a formidable 137-run stand. Dunkley made 75 and Wyatt-Hodge smashed 66. But once they fell, England’s middle and lower order collapsed, losing 9 wickets for just 34 runs.

Radha Yadav’s Milestone

Despite the loss, it was a special day for Radha Yadav, who became only the second Indian woman to take 100 T20I wickets, achieving the milestone in her 87th match — two matches quicker than Deepti Sharma.

Looking Ahead

India still leads the series 2-1, but England's resurgence means the final two matches will be critical. With Mandhana in sublime form and India’s bowlers performing well, the team remains in a strong position — but will need to improve its middle-order execution in pressure moments.