The Big Picture

Another clinical performance by the Women in Blue in the second ODI saw them take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

The win was set-up by the bowlers-led by the pace duo of Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey, that saw the defending champions get bowled out for a poultry 161 in 43.3 overs which was chased down in 41.1 overs courtsey stellar knocks from Smriti Mandhana [63], Punam Raut [32] and Mithali Raj [47].

Choosing to bat first, the visitors, just like the first game, had a worst possible start with Shikha Pandey [4-18] and Jhulan Goswami [4-30] nipping out the top-3 to reduce them to 3-14 in 6.1 overs. Enter Natalie Sciver. England's top-scorer in the last ODI came to her sides' refuge yet again.

The all-rounder forged crucial partnerships- first with Tammy Beaumont [20] and then with Lauren Winfield [28] before the latter, in an attempt, to up the ante fell to Poonam Yadav [2-26] to leave her side reeling at 5-93. It got much worse as Shikha Pandey, in her second spell, nipped out Katherine Brunt and Georgia Elwiss in a space of three balls to sway the momentum completely in India's favor.

And, when Sophie Ecclestone and Anya Shrubsole followed suit, it looked like we would have an early finish. But, Natalie Sciver continued to fight and with Alex Hartley, prolonged India's wait for the final wicket, stitching a 52-run stand to take the score past 150.

India's chase did not get off to the best of starts with Jemimah Rodrigues failing to put bat to a laterally moving ball before eventually falling for a 10-ball duck. But, Smriti Mandhana [63] anchored the innings brilliantly and stitched crucial partnerships with Punam Raut [32] and skipper Mithali Raj [47 not out].

Mandhana finally fell to Anya Shrubsole for 63 but by then the damage had already been done and Mithali Raj, in her unbeaten knock of 47, took the hosts' past the finishing line in the 41.1 overs.

Brief Score-

England [161, Natalie Sciver 85, Shikha Pandey 4-18] lost to India [3-162, Smriti Mandhana 63, Anya Shrubsole 2-23] by seven wickets