[simple-matches series_id=2789 upcoming=1 live= 1 completed = 1]
Opener Tammy Beaumont and all-rounder Natalie Sciver shared an unbroken 119 century for the third wicket as England beat India by eight wickets with 91 balls to spare in the first women’s ODI here on Sunday. With this win, England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Batting first, India scored 201 for eight in 50 overs despite skipper Mithali Raj’s 72 off 108 balls. England won the match by scoring 202 for two in 34.5 overs. Beaumont (87 runs, 87 balls, 12 fours, 1 six) and Sciver (74 runs, 74 balls, 10 fours, 1 six) were the heroines of England’s easy victory. Beaumont scored his fourth consecutive and 13th overall, while Sciver scored his 15th half-century.
After winning the toss, the England bowlers did not allow the Indians to play freely by bowling tight first, while later their batsmen got runs easily. Lauren Winfield Hill (16) was caught by Jhulan Goswami at the hands of wicketkeeper Tania Bhatia in the fifth over, but Beaumont put on 59 runs for the second wicket with captain Heather Knight (18). Experienced Ekta Bisht broke this partnership by bowling Knight. After this, I Sciver scored fast with Beaumont and led her team to victory.
Earlier, Shafali Verma (15) and Smriti Mandhana (10), who played their first ODI for the Indian team, could not get a good start. Shefali, who made a record for the youngest debut in all three formats of cricket, hit two consecutive fours on Katherine, but the fast bowler tested her with short pitch balls. Shefali gave an easy catch on one such ball. Mandhana was bowled in an attempt to cut late on Shrubsole’s delivery. The Indian innings revolved around Mithali.
He added 56 off 94 balls for the third wicket with Poonam Raut (32) and 65 runs off 85 balls for the fifth wicket with Deepti Sharma (30). For England, left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets for 40 runs, including the precious wickets of Harmanpreet and Mithali. Fast bowlers Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole took two wickets each. The second ODI between the two teams will be played in Taunton on June 30.