India’s women cricketers faced their first defeat on the ongoing England tour, but Deepti Sharma’s outstanding bowling performance remained the highlight. England edged out India by five runs at The Oval, narrowing India’s lead in the five-match T20I series to 2-1. Chasing a target of 171, India fell short, managing 166 runs in their allotted 20 overs in a closely fought contest.
India Set Record for Fastest 9 Wickets
Despite the loss, India created history with an extraordinary bowling effort. England looked set for a big total, comfortably placed at 137 without loss after 15.1 overs. However, Deepti Sharma broke the opening stand by dismissing Sophia Dunkley, who had scored a brilliant 75 off 53 balls. This wicket sparked a stunning collapse as England lost nine wickets in just 25 balls—a new international record for the fewest deliveries taken to claim nine wickets in both men’s and women’s cricket. This dramatic fall limited England to 170 runs and showcased India’s resilience and bowling strength under pressure.
Deepti Joins 300-Wicket Club
Deepti Sharma’s brilliance continued as she finished with figures of 3/27 from her four overs. This haul took her tally to 300 wickets across all international formats, making her only the sixth woman cricketer to reach this remarkable milestone. In Women’s T20Is, Deepti now shares second place for the most wickets taken (144) alongside Pakistan’s Nida Dar, trailing only Australia’s Megan Schutt who leads with 151 wickets. Deepti’s all-round skills remain crucial for India as the series shifts to Old Trafford for the fourth match on July 9.
England’s Sophia Dunkley earned the player of the match award for her vital half-century, keeping the series alive and setting up an exciting finish to the contest. With both teams showing moments of brilliance, the upcoming matches promise a thrilling conclusion to the series. India will look to regroup and bounce back to reclaim their winning momentum.
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