India finally had something to cheer about as they defeated England by eight wickets to record a consolation win in the women's T20 tri-series on Thursday.
After bundling out England for a paltry 107, the Indian batswomen overhauled the target with 4.2 overs to spare. Opener Smriti Mandhana continued with her rich vein of form, scoring an unbeaten quick-fire 62 in 41 balls.
The Indian spinners shared nine wickets after the opposition decided to bat first. Offie Anuja Patil picked up three wickets while Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma and Poonam Yadav took two wickets each.
The game was a dead rubber as India have already been knocked out of the tournament after losing their first three games, two to Australia and one to England.
The chase began on a quick note with Mandhana striking three boundaries off Katie George in the second over and followed up with two fours in the fourth over.
Mithali Raj (6) and Jemimah Rodrigues (7) fell early. But, Mandhana, who got a life on 13, made most of it and punished the England bowlers. Mandhana, who scored her third fifty of the tournament, hit eight boundaries and a six.
She and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (20 not out) then ensured that there was no further damage and conjured an unbeaten 60-run third wicket stand to romp the side home.
Earlier, Indian spinners finally found the much-needed rhythm as they scuttled out England for a meagre total.
Patil (3-21) was the pick of the bowlers and was superbly aided by left-arm spinner Radha Yadav (2-16), leggie Poonam Yadav (2-17), offie Dipti Sharma (2-24) and pacer Pooja Vastrakar (1-17).
The Indian spinners did not allow the English batters to settle down and picked up wickets at regular intervals on a placid track. And the Indian fielding too aided the spinners with some stunning catches.
England had a poor start with openers Danielle Wyatt (31 off 22 balls) and Amy Jones (15) only putting up 24-run stand for the first wicket.
In the fourth over, Vastrakar removed Jones, who was caught at wide mid-on by Mithali Raj. Wyatt then upped the ante after hitting Patil for two fours in the fifth over. She then smashed Radha for a four and a six, as England raced to 54/1 after power play.
But then from the next over, the collapse for England started. Deepti dismissed Wyatt by taking a simple return catch with England at 59/2. England lost their third wicket quickly as Poonam removed Tamsin Beaumont (10) after she gave a sitter to Jhulan Goswami.
Natalie Sciver (15) and skipper Heather Knight tried to steer the team out of trouble with their 23-run fourth wicket stand. But then Patil dismissed Sciver, who mistimed a reverse-sweep, and was caught by wicket-keeper Tania Bhatia.
Heather Knight (11), Fran Wilson (12), Alice David Richardson (3), Katie George (0), Danielle Hazell (3) and Natasha Farrant (2) fell cheaply as the Indian spinners overpowered them. The visitors lost the last five wickets for just 16 runs.
The highlight of the innings was the stunning diving catch taken at long-off by Kaur to send back Hazell.
The final between England and Australia will be played on Saturday.
SCORES
England Woman: 107 all out in 18.5 overs; (Danielle Wyatt 31, Natalie Sciver 15, Anuja Patil 3-21) lost to India Women: 108/2 in 15.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 62 not out, Harmanpreet Kaur 20 not out, Danielle Hazell 2-17) by 8 wickets.
‘didn’t perform as a team’
Veteran India pacer Jhulan Goswami has admitted that the team's batting and bowling unit did not perform in sync in the Women's T20 tri-series involving Australia and England.
"We never said that we are going to win this competition. But as a process for our T20 World Cup, we were seeing this as an important tournament, we were trying new players. And the thing was like as a team, bowling and batting unit did not contribute together," said Jhulan.
But the veteran pacer also said that there were positives like performance of young players like Pooja Vastrakar and all-rounder Anuja Patil.
"But considering the new rules, so far what we have done in the competition, I am happy. Because we scored 198, which has never happened, consistently we scored 160-170. When the top order did not click, Anju (Patil), Pooja (Vastrakar), they have performed, people are coming down and taking the responsibility, which was not happening earlier.
"Fielding was up-down. The process (has) started for the (T20) World Cup and keeping that in mind, we are settling on a combination," the 35-year-old explained.
Jhulan feels that the new rules like just four players outside the 30-yard circle are challenging for the bowlers.
"The rules have been changed and as a bowler what I found, you need to be a little more precise about your line and length and your accuracy and you have to make sure (in) which areas you will bowl and have protection in the boundary line and this is the thing you have to work on.
"Bowling is one area where we can work because (of the) new rules is bit tough for the bowlers because five fielders always in the ring, is difficult, but it is challenge and all the bowlers in the world have to accept it and we are going to work on it."
She also praised Vastrakar and described her as a hard-working player.
"And she (Pooja) has done her best in the chances she has got. And I am glad that we have a player like Pooja who can bowl, bat and field well. If we keep her in the team, our batting number increases. She is hard-working, when I have been speaking to her and few things I have tried to tell and she is trying to develop.” Jhulan added.