India Women (188/7) beat England Women (150/8) by 38 runs in the first T20I at Chelmsford .
In a thrilling series opener at the County Ground in Chelmsford, the Indian Women's cricket team kicked off their tour of England with a commanding 38-run victory. Led by a brilliant batting recovery and a dream debut with the ball, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
India Innings: Recovery and Fireworks
The match began in a state of shock for the visitors. Stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana, leading the side in the absence of the rested Harmanpreet Kaur, fell for a golden duck off the very first ball of the innings, caught by Charlotte Dean off the bowling of Lauren Bell. Worse followed later in the same over when Shafali Verma was also dismissed, leaving India reeling at 7/2 within the first six balls.
However, what followed was a masterclass in counter-attacking cricket. Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia joined forces in a record-breaking 126-run partnership for the third wicket.
Read Also: Tour Opener: England and India Women Face Off in 1st T20I of 2026 Series
Jemimah Rodrigues was the aggressor, smashing 69 runs off just 40 balls, including 10 boundaries and a six .
Yastika Bhatia, marking her return to the T20I setup after missing the previous series due to injury, played a fluent knock of 54 off 40 balls.
The pair decimated the English bowling, with Issy Wong conceding 27 runs in a single over as India raced to their highest-ever powerplay score in T20Is.
After the fall of Bhatia (run out) and Rodrigues (caught & bowled Dean), India lost a few quick wickets, slumping from 133/2 to 148/6. However, Deepti Sharma provided a late flourish, smashing 22 off 13 balls to push India to a massive total of 188/7 in their 20 overs.
India Batting Scorecard (Key Performers)
*Bowlers: Lauren Bell (3/34), Charlotte Dean (1/19), Issy Wong (1/26)*.
England Innings: Jones' Fightback in Vain
Chasing a daunting 189, England needed a solid start but found themselves in early trouble. Young pacer Kranti Gaud struck twice in her first two overs, removing openers Sophia Dunkley (16) and Alice Capsey (6) to reduce the hosts to 37/2.
Amy Jones led the resistance for England. The wicketkeeper-batter played a valiant lone hand, scoring 67 runs off 48 balls. She found support from captain Heather Knight (21), and the pair added 64 runs to steady the ship.
Just as England looked to push the accelerator, the run rate climbing, India introduced debutant Nandani Sharma. The leg-spinner turned the game on its head in the 16th over.
She dismissed the dangerous Amy Jones, caught by Shafali Verma at deep midwicket.
On the very next ball, she trapped Dani Gibson LBW for a golden duck.
Nandani finished with spectacular figures of 3/34 on debut, becoming the hero of the Indian bowling attack. From that point, England lost momentum rapidly, finishing on 150/8, falling 38 runs short.
England Batting Scorecard (Key Performers)
*Bowlers: Nandani Sharma (3/34), Kranti Gaud (2/24), Shree Charani (1/25)*.
Post-Match Reaction & Series Outlook
Player of the Match, Jemimah Rodrigues, expressed relief after her match-winning knock: "After the two early wickets, we just wanted to build a partnership. Yastika batted beautifully at the other end, which made my job easier. It was about staying positive on a good pitch."
Debutant Nandani Sharma reflected on her dream start: "I was a bit nervous walking in, but the senior players backed me. Once I got that first wicket (Amy Jones), I just wanted to stick to the plans. It feels surreal."
This victory gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, serving as perfect preparation for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup . The second T20I will be played on May 30th at the County Ground in Bristol .
*Brief Scores: India Women 188/7 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 69, Yastika Bhatia 54; Lauren Bell 3/34) beat England Women 150/8 in 20 overs (Amy Jones 67; Nandani Sharma 3/34) by 38 runs.
Luna Ella
India Women (188/7) beat England Women (150/8) by 38 runs in the first T20I at Chelmsford .
In a thrilling series opener at the County Ground in Chelmsford, the Indian Women's cricket team kicked off their tour of England with a commanding 38-run victory. Led by a brilliant batting recovery and a dream debut with the ball, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
India Innings: Recovery and Fireworks
The match began in a state of shock for the visitors. Stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana, leading the side in the absence of the rested Harmanpreet Kaur, fell for a golden duck off the very first ball of the innings, caught by Charlotte Dean off the bowling of Lauren Bell. Worse followed later in the same over when Shafali Verma was also dismissed, leaving India reeling at 7/2 within the first six balls.
However, what followed was a masterclass in counter-attacking cricket. Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia joined forces in a record-breaking 126-run partnership for the third wicket.
Read Also: Tour Opener: England and India Women Face Off in 1st T20I of 2026 Series
Jemimah Rodrigues was the aggressor, smashing 69 runs off just 40 balls, including 10 boundaries and a six .
Yastika Bhatia, marking her return to the T20I setup after missing the previous series due to injury, played a fluent knock of 54 off 40 balls.
The pair decimated the English bowling, with Issy Wong conceding 27 runs in a single over as India raced to their highest-ever powerplay score in T20Is.
After the fall of Bhatia (run out) and Rodrigues (caught & bowled Dean), India lost a few quick wickets, slumping from 133/2 to 148/6. However, Deepti Sharma provided a late flourish, smashing 22 off 13 balls to push India to a massive total of 188/7 in their 20 overs.
India Batting Scorecard (Key Performers)
*Bowlers: Lauren Bell (3/34), Charlotte Dean (1/19), Issy Wong (1/26)*.
England Innings: Jones' Fightback in Vain
Chasing a daunting 189, England needed a solid start but found themselves in early trouble. Young pacer Kranti Gaud struck twice in her first two overs, removing openers Sophia Dunkley (16) and Alice Capsey (6) to reduce the hosts to 37/2.
Amy Jones led the resistance for England. The wicketkeeper-batter played a valiant lone hand, scoring 67 runs off 48 balls. She found support from captain Heather Knight (21), and the pair added 64 runs to steady the ship.
Just as England looked to push the accelerator, the run rate climbing, India introduced debutant Nandani Sharma. The leg-spinner turned the game on its head in the 16th over.
She dismissed the dangerous Amy Jones, caught by Shafali Verma at deep midwicket.
On the very next ball, she trapped Dani Gibson LBW for a golden duck.
Nandani finished with spectacular figures of 3/34 on debut, becoming the hero of the Indian bowling attack. From that point, England lost momentum rapidly, finishing on 150/8, falling 38 runs short.
England Batting Scorecard (Key Performers)
*Bowlers: Nandani Sharma (3/34), Kranti Gaud (2/24), Shree Charani (1/25)*.
Post-Match Reaction & Series Outlook
Player of the Match, Jemimah Rodrigues, expressed relief after her match-winning knock: "After the two early wickets, we just wanted to build a partnership. Yastika batted beautifully at the other end, which made my job easier. It was about staying positive on a good pitch."
Debutant Nandani Sharma reflected on her dream start: "I was a bit nervous walking in, but the senior players backed me. Once I got that first wicket (Amy Jones), I just wanted to stick to the plans. It feels surreal."
This victory gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, serving as perfect preparation for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup . The second T20I will be played on May 30th at the County Ground in Bristol .
*Brief Scores: India Women 188/7 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 69, Yastika Bhatia 54; Lauren Bell 3/34) beat England Women 150/8 in 20 overs (Amy Jones 67; Nandani Sharma 3/34) by 38 runs.