England A trailing the series 0-1 sparked a remarkable comeback to win the series 2-1 versus India A at Wankhede, Mumbai on Sunday. Skittling India A for a dismal 101, they chased down the total albeit with some hiccups to seal a memorable win.
India A won the toss and elected to bat first and were off to a slow and sluggish start as Vrinda Dinesh and Uma Chetry took time to get acclimatised. Vrinda Dinesh, however, was the first to fall as Mahika Gaur got the first breakthrough for England A.
Uma Chetry on the other end scored some crucial boundaries keeping the momentum going and was joined by Gongadi Trisha. Although Trisha got off the blocks with some quick running and a boundary, her knock of 7 was shortlived with Mady Villiers trapping her LBW.
The very next over saw skipper Minnu Mani fall for 8 as Kirstie Gordon got her for 8; India A seemed to have an off day with the bat. Disha Kasat and Uma Chetry then began the resurrection effort with a crucial partnership and batted with poise and finesse through the middle overs but with Chetry’s 21 coming to an end in the 11th over, things seemed to get murkier for India A.
Arushi Goel and Kanika Ahuja’s consecutive dismissals were certainly far from ideal as England A began to impose pressure on India A. A comeback seemed far from possible and Disha Kasat’s dismissal for 20 was the final nail in the coffin as India A slipped to 82-7.
Cleaning up the tailenders – Mannat Kashyap for a three-ball duck and a cameo of 11 by Monica Patel with Issy Wong and Kirstie Gordon coming to the party, Shreyanka Patil’s 6 meant India ended with 101. England A had a field day with the ball as the likes of Issy Wong, Kirstie Gordon, Mady Villiers and Lauren Filer scalp two wickets restricting India successfully.
Innings Break!
India A set a target of 102 for England A in the 3rd T20.
Uma Chetry the top-scorer with 21(16).
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England A had Maia Bouchier and Grace Scrivens kickstart the proceedings but before the attacking duo could get going, India A speedster Monica Patel got Bouchier caught and bowled for 5. Scrivens was then dismissed for 10 off 8 as Minnu Mani was quick to act in her opening spell.
Freya Kemp was then out for a two-ball duck and England A seemed to be losing plot in the run-chase. With Hollie Armitage still piling on runs at the other end, another wicket fell as Freya Kemp fell for a two-ball duck.
Hollie Armitage was striking boundaries at will and Seren Smale was playing perfect second fiddle and a run out of Armitage effected by Mannat Kashyap was a setback and with Smale out by Anusha Bareddy in the same over hit England A as a crippling setback. Rhina Southby and Issy Wong then joined to stitch England A through the run chase.
Although Southby was out for 4 and the same over saw Lauren Filer dismissed by Shreyanka Patil, England A looked to struggle in the run chase. All in all, it was Issy Wong’s 28 off 30 saw through England A and coupled with Kirstie Gordon’s 10 off 9 sealed the deal against India A and a 2-1 series win.
India A put up a solid fight, but it was England A who won the 3rd T20 by 2 wickets to take the series 2-1.
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— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 3, 2023
Brief Scores: India A vs England A 3rd T20I
India A 101/10 in 19.2 overs (Uma Chetry 21, Disha Kasat 20; Kirstie Gordon 2/17, Mady Villiers 2/19) lost to England A 104/8 in 19.1 overs (Issy Wong 28*, Hollie Armitage 27; Shreyanka Patil 2/13, Minnu Mani 2/24) by two wickets.
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