The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
What a night of cricket it’s been. Twists, turns, heartbreaks, and heroics. A match that had everything and one that will be remembered for how quickly momentum can shift in T20 cricket. India still lead the series 2-1, but England have thrown the door wide open heading into the fourth game.
That’s all from us tonight. This is Meeth Agrawal and Bidipto Datta signing off. See you next time and good night!
Tammy Beaumont (England Women captain): I think that's what you live for in cricket. Captaining England was special and proud of the effort from the team. The wicket was tough to start on, and as the partnership grew, we kind of forgot that. It’s a massive moment for this team to lose Nat and still have such a young, relatively inexperienced side show that kind of fight. It wasn’t a perfect game, but a big step forward. We’ve shown we can go toe-to-toe with this Indian team. The death bowling was outstanding, and Filer really changed the game for us. We went in with five proper bowlers, and I’m incredibly proud of how the group responded.
Harmanpreet Kaur (India Women captain): "I thought we were in the game till 16 overs, but then, did not quite live up to the expectations. They executed their plans really well, and we fell short by one boundary I feel. The bowling was good! The comeback was strong. Deepti bowled well and all the bowlers brought it back for us. Lots of learnings for sure."
Sophia Dunkley (Player of the Match, 75 runs off 53 balls): "It was a tough start to the series, but to come out and fight is what we wanted! I share a good relationship with Danni, we were short of runs, but today, we both got some key runs. I just focus on my game and look to improve to help the team. Loved to have played such a match in front of my home crowd!"
9:56 PM local time, 2:26 AM IST | It is now time for the post-match presentation!
21:50 Local Time, 02:20 IST:England win by 5 runs!
What. Just. Happened? Absolute drama at The Oval as England pull off one of the most stunning comebacks you’ll see in T20 cricket, beating India by 5 runs and keeping the series alive. This was cricket theatre at its best. Absolute cinema.
India were cruising. At 130/2 after 15 overs, needing just 42 off the last 30 balls, it looked like a historic series win was all but wrapped up. Shafali Verma had given them the ideal start with a breezy knock, Smriti Mandhana anchored brilliantly with a composed fifty, and India had momentum, wickets in hand, and belief.
But just like India turned the game around with the ball in the 16th over in the first innings, it was Lauren Filer who did the same for England in India’s chase. Her fiery over not only removed the well-set Smriti but nearly got Richa and Harmanpreet as well. From there, it was a masterclass in comeback bowling.
Issy Wong changed pace cleverly, Sophie Ecclestone kept things tight in the death, and Lauren Bell, after dropping three catches earlier in the night, redeemed herself in the final over, defending 12 runs with nerves of steel.
Earlier in the day, England had powered to 137/0 thanks to a commanding opening stand between Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt, both registering fifties. But what followed was a dramatic collapse. Arundhati Reddy struck thrice in one over, Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani kept the pressure on, and England ended on 171/9.
But in a poetic twist, it was England who pulled off the improbable in the end. A 5-run win, a stunning turnaround, and a lifeline in the series. The series is now 2-1, and very much alive.
20
overs
166/5score
2
1
1
0
2
W
runs
Harmanpreet Kaur*
23(17)
Amanjot Kaur
7(4)
Lauren Bell
1/37
Harmanpreet Kaur has been dismissed for 23 runs off 17 balls
19.6 Lauren Bell to Harmanpreet Kaur, ENGLAND WIN! ENGLAND KEEP THE SERIES ALIVE! INDIA, FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH, LOSE THIS GAME! In the slot on off-stump. Harmanpreet brings out the slap over the in-field after clearing the front leg and hopes to connect it cleanly. But she does not get hold of this one too and the ball goes aerially to mid-off. Sophie Ecclestone takes the catch with fingers pointing up and throws the ball up in the air in delight!
6 off 1 needed. Harmanpreet Kaur on strike. Absolute Cinema stuff here
19.5 Lauren Bell to Harmanpreet Kaur, slower length ball around off-stump. Harmanpreet mistimes this powerful swing of the blade, over mid-off and gets two more!
19.4 Lauren Bell to Harmanpreet Kaur, AH! Good length again and really slow around off-stump. A big whoosh through the line of the ball and a big miss! Dot ball.
OHH NO NO NO! Another dropped catch.
19.3 Lauren Bell to Amanjot Kaur, PUT DOWN! PUT DOWN! SCHOLFIELD THE CULPRIT! Good length and slow on off-and-middle. A mistimed biff over mid-on. And long-on shells it!
19.2 Lauren Bell to Harmanpreet Kaur, full and slow on middle-and-leg. A miscued shot on the front foot down to deep mid-wicket for a single only!
19.1 Lauren Bell to Harmanpreet Kaur, slower full toss on leg-stump. Harmanpreet slices this one with the attempted heave over mid-wicket and gets only a brace to deep mid-wicket!
Lauren Bell [3.0-0-31-0] is back into the attack to bowl the final over.
This is going right down to the final ball, isn't it? Richa Ghosh perishes trying to finish it early, but Amanjot Kaur steps up with a crucial boundary to keep India's hopes alive. 12 needed off the last over now. Nerves, pressure, and everything on the line!
19
overs
160/4score
0
2
W
4
0
2
runs
Amanjot Kaur*
6(3)
Harmanpreet Kaur
18(12)
Issy Wong
1/36
18.6 Issy Wong to Amanjot Kaur, OH WELL! Good length and slow around off-stump. Amanjot slaps it to mid-off where Ecclestone makes a meal of it! The batters run through for a brace.
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Harmanpreet Kaur
*
Lauren Bell
Video
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