Bristol: Indian juggernaut in the white-ball tour continued as Amanjot Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues hit radiant fifties to propel the visitors to a commanding 24-run win over England in the second T20 International here.
Tuesday night’s win handed Harmanpreet Kaur’s side a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, having won the opener by a record-shattering 97-run margin last week.
Amanjot (63 not out off 40 balls), who scored her maiden T20I fifty, and Rodrigues (63 off 41 deliveries) posted a formidable 181 for 4 after being asked to bat.
The Indian bowlers, led by spinners, then did their bit to restrict the home side to 157 for 7 in 20 overs despite Tammy Beaumont’s 35-ball 54, marking the first time any team has been able to beat England in a women’s T20I in Bristol.
“Good win for us, the way the entire team performed today was special to see. The way Jemimah and Amanjot played gave us a platform. When boundaries were not coming they were looking for twos. Still it’s a long time to see how it’ll be in the World Cup. Just focus on this series. Spin is our strength and I want to back that,” Harmanpreet said after the win.
India’s innings began in disarray with opener Shafali Verma (3), last game’s centurian Smriti Mandhana (13) and skipper Harmanpreet (1), who returned after missing the first match, all back in the dug-out inside the powerplay.
After a shaky start, the elegant Rodrigues, who scored nine boundaries and a six, and spirited Amanjot not only resurrected India from 31 for 3 with 93-run stand for the fourth wicket but also laid the foundation for a towering 181 for 4, hitting a flurry of boundaries.
Rodrigues eventually perished in the 15th over, caught by Sophia Dunkley off Lauren Bell, but Amanjot marched on.
Amanjot, whose innings was laced with nine boundaries, then stitched a 57-run stand with the big-hitting Richa Ghosh (32 not out off 22 balls), who provided the final flourish as India recorded the second-highest total in WT20Is here.
The tourists picked up 117 runs in the last 10 overs.
India were sharp in the field as they effected as many as three run outs including that of Sophia Dunkley (1) in the first over. Seasoned spinner Deepti Sharma struck of the very next ball to dismiss Danni Wyatt-Hodge (1) as both England openers’ stay was short lived.
Amanjot returned to the spotlight, dismissing the ever-dangerous Nat Sciver-Brunt, as England, like India, too suffered a batting collapse to slump to 17 for 3 by the fourth over.
Beaumont and keeper-batter Amy Jones (32) kept England afloat with a 70-run stand. But, left arm-spinner Shree Charani (2/28) caught Jones off her own bowling in the 15th over to thwart all hopes for an England win.
Sophie Ecclestone (35) hit some boundaries but it was not enough.
“It’s new Indian team. Wherever we play, home or away, we are ready to dominate. That was our plan and we did that today,” said Amanjot who was adjudged player of match for his 63 with the bat and one wicket with the ball.
