A master class from an intermediate maestro Jemima Rodrigues strengthened Indian Women’s cricket team He won by 38 points England Women In the opening match of the T20I series at Chelmsford on 28 May 2026. On a night when India’s outstanding opening duo failed to trouble the scorers in the early stages, a brilliant counter-attacking partnership and clinical defensive bowling ensured that the visitors started their tour of England on a great note.
Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia lead India to a huge total
Electing to bat first, India’s innings got off to a disastrous start. England’s best fast bowler Lauren Bell packing back both captains, dismantled the visitors’ top order for the first time Smriti Mandhana and explosive Shafali Verma for 0 and 2 runs respectively. With India trailing at 7/2 in the first six balls, the home fans were expecting a typical English collapse.
However, Yastika Bhatia and Rodrigues had other plans. The duo mastered the initial move before launching an absolute assault on the British attack. Bhatia took charge during the Powerplay, smashing 54 off 40 deliveries, hitting nine boundaries and a six, bringing up his half-century in just 31 balls.
After Bhatia settled in, Rodrigues went into overdrive. Rodrigues, who was awarded the Player of the Match, produced a magnificent, calculated knock of 69 runs from just 40 balls, hitting eight boundaries and clearing the ropes once. Together, Bhatia and Rodrigues put together an important 126-run partnership for the third wicket and kept the run rate above nine runs. Late order contributions Deepti Sharma (22 off 13) Bell took India to a mammoth total of 188/7 in their allotted 20 overs despite finishing as the pick of the home bowlers with figures of 3/34.
India lead 1-0 in T20I series 👏#ENGvsIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/1nMt80bZHT
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Also READ: ENG-W vs IND-W, T20I Series: Date, Match Time, Broadcast & Live Streaming Details
India’s disciplined bowling stops England in Women’s T20I opener
Defending 188, the Indian bowling unit put up a clinical display of tight lines and variations, preventing the English batters from building any sustained momentum. An evolving pacer Kranti Gaud He secured the early lead by striking early in the Powerplay, dismissing him Sophia Dunkley (16) and Alice Capsey (65) to check England at 37/2.
Goalkeeper-prone Amy Jones He bravely responded to 67 from 48 balls and gave England the only stiff resistance. Next to the former captain Heather Knight (21), Jones threatened to join a dangerous recovery path. However, India’s spin rate has been too stiff. Shree Charani By removing Knight, he broke the partnership, leading to a batting collapse from which the hosts could never recover.
Nandani Sharma he was the destroyer in the death, swinging the game decisively in India’s favour. He cleaned up the tail efficiently to finish with highly impressive figures of 3/34 from his four overs. Arundhati Reddy 0/23 also played a crucial role by keeping the pressure high with economical magic. England’s chase eventually ended at 150/8 with a lead of 20 overs. With this comprehensive 38-run win, India take a crucial 1-0 lead in the 3-match T20I series.
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This article was originally published here WomenCricket.coma Cricket Times company.
