Guwahati: India’s batswomen failed to score three runs from the final over in an embarrassing capitulation, gifting England a one-run win in the third T20 International and a 3-0 series whitewash here Saturday.
Chasing England’s modest 119 for six, the Indians had only themselves to blame as they were on course to register a consolation win after having lost the first two matches.
India needed just three runs from the final over with veteran Mithali Raj well-set at 30 off 32 balls, but the ODI skipper was left stranded at the other end and didn’t get an opportunity to face a single delivery in the final over of Kate Cross (2/18).
Bharati Fulmali (5 off 13) was guilty of wasting the opening three deliveries of the final over before handing Cross her first wicket, a straight forward catch to Anya Shrubsole at mid-off while trying to clear the in-field. It was an insensible display of batting from the Indian lower-order as new batswoman Anuja Patil too try to go for a big shot in the next delivery instead of giving the strike back to Mithali, in the process getting brilliantly stumped by Amy Jones.
From three off six balls, the equation became three off one for India and Shikha Pandey could only steal a single, even as Mitahli helplessly watched the drama unfold from the other end. Besides Mithali, skipper Smriti Mandhana smashed a quickfire 58 off 39 balls at the top to keep India one step ahead in the chase. However in the end it was England who took the cake.
India had earlier won the three-match ODI series 2-1. (PTI)
