ENG-W vs IND-W

With India Women losing this match, the tournament once again opens up as England Women find their feet in the World Cup finally. But Mithali Raj and company have the Australian challenge to overcome next, which will be a stiff one for sure. Perhaps some changes in the team are required, especially in the batting, to get more runs on the board for India. They have lost both their matches due to their batting, so it needs to come good if it has to deliver against a formidable outfit in Australia Women. For now, from the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, this is all that we have for you, but stay tuned to Sportskeeda for important matches coming up in the Women's World Cup with places in the semi-finals up for grabs. Until next time, this is the pair of Shashwat and Bidipto, saying good bye! 

MATCH SUMMARY 

India Women, batting first - 134 all out in 36.2 overs; Smriti Mandhana 35 (58)
England Women, batting second - 136 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 31.2 overs; Heather Knight 53* (72)

England Women beat India Women by 4 wickets. 

Player of the Match: Charlie Dean [8.2-1-23-4]

With only 134 runs in the bank, it was always going to be difficult for India to win this match but with England 6 wickets down in the end, one wonders what could have been had India got 175 or more on the board! 

But otherwise, a clinical performance from England with the ball, in the field and with the bat. 

After a brilliant 1st innings, England stuttered at the beginning of the 2nd innings, losing two quick wickets in the form of both their openers. Jhulam Goswami picked up Tammy Beaumont to get her 250th ODI wicket, and at that stage, India were well and truly off to the kind of start they would have hoped for. 

Then came a moment when Natalie Sciver played one on to the base of the stumps off Jhulan Goswami's bowling, but the bails did not fall. That turned out to be a defining moment in the innings as Natalie Sciver and Heather Knight then went on to put together a much needed 50-run partnership to steady the ship for England. India tried hard to dislodge the pair before that but the batting was too good to let that happen. 

Against the run of play, Natalie Sciver leading edged one and got caught, giving India another glimmer of hope, but then was the time for skipper Heather Knight to step up and bat more with more assurance at the crease. Amy Jones then tried to finish the game quickly, but in the process, got herself caught at mid-on. By then, the match was almost done for India. 

Heather Knight then brought up her 50 and took her team to within striking distance of victory, when both Sophia Dunkley and Katherine Brunt were dismissed in one Meghna Singh over, to deny England, a more comfortable win. 

In the end, Sophie Ecclestone, in the company of her captain, ensured no further drama and knocked off the winning runs for England, to help them register their first points on the board and get their tournament off and running. 

India had a moment of concern when Harmanpreet Kaur injured her left knee while fielding, but it does not seem threatening enough to keep her out of the next match. This will be very important to follow for the Indian fans.

The bowling from Meghna Singh was outstanding, as she picked up 3 wickets and bowled 3 maiden overs as well. Jhulan Goswami, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Pooja Vastrakar were the other wicket takers, with the former two bowling 1 maiden over each. 

Charlie Dean was awarded the Player of the Match for her impressive off-spin bowling, that managed to take 4 crucial wickets, giving away only 23 runs in the process. 

England Women are now 6th in the standings with matches done against Australia Women, South Africa Women and India Women while India will go up against Australia in their next match, with 2 more matches to come against Bangladesh and South Africa. Mithali Raj's side are 3rd in the table at the moment. 

England Women captain, Heather Knight: We would have liked to lose less wickets but I hope it is the start of a change in momentum for us. We were disappointed with our performance in the field in the previous matches but today we were excellent. And then, the way we bowled with Charlie and Sophie, was outstanding. I wanted to score runs today and that I stayed out there right till the end will do well for both the team and me. It was good to get a litle bit of luck going our way today. And congratulations to Jhulan for getting 250 wickets, it has been a pleasure to play against her.

India Women captain, Mithali Raj: I think we did not have partnerships and that did not help at all. When you lose you always thik that you were short of runs but yes, we could have done with more than 200 on the board. Our fielding has been good, that is a plus but we need our batting to improve by leaps and bounds against Australia, which will be out lookout. It is an honour to play alongside Jhulan, she has worked very hard to get to where she has, 250 wickets is a phenomenal achievement.

Player of the Match, Charlie Dean: I don't think I was expecting this award at the start of the game but we showed a lot of character coming back with a performance like this. I kept things simple by bowling tight lines and it worked for me. It helps a lot when you have someone like Sophie Ecclestone bowling with you from the other end, she is an excellent person, both on and off the field. Thanks to one and all for helping me right through. 

31.2 Meghna Singh to Sophie Ecclestone, FOUR! THAT WILL BE THAT! Banged into the track outside off stump. Ecclestone rocks onto the back foot and pounds it over mid wicket for a boundary to hand England their first victory of this year's Women's World Cup! 

31.2 Meghna Singh to Sophie Ecclestone, full delivery fired down the leg side. Ecclestone leaves it alone and the keeper does well to come around and gather. Called a wide!

31.1 Meghna Singh to Sophie Ecclestone, full delivery outside off stump. Ecclestone's feet go nowhere as she stabs the ball down the ground towards the fielder at mid on

30.6 Jhulan Goswami to Heather Knight, full delivery outside off stump. Knight takes a step down the track and punches the ball towards the fielder in the ring at mid off

Harmanpreet Kaur may have injured her knee. The physio is out to help. The left knee got stuck in the ground while fielding that ball and it is perhaps better for her to get off the park now. That is what is happening now. 

30.5 Jhulan Goswami to Sophie Ecclestone, full delivery on middle and off stump. Ecclestone gets forward and flicks the ball down the ground towards mid on. And, oh dear, seems like Harmanpreet has injured herself! 

30.4 Jhulan Goswami to Sophie Ecclestone, back of a length delivery outside off stump. Ecclestone goes back and dabs the ball into the off side towards backward point

30.3 Jhulan Goswami to Sophie Ecclestone, length delivery angled into the batter on leg stump. Ecclestone gets forward and flicks the ball into the leg side towards mid wicket

30.2 Jhulan Goswami to Heather Knight, length delivery just outside off stump. Knight comes onto the front foot and pushes the ball towards deep cover point for a single

30.1 Jhulan Goswami to Heather Knight, short delivery outside off stump. Knight camps deep in her crease and cuts it straight to the fielder in the ring at backward point. Dot ball!