Spinners Shine as India Clinch Historic T20I Series Win Over England

India Women secured their first-ever T20I series victory on English soil with a commanding six-wicket win in the fourth T20I at Old Trafford, taking an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

Chasing a modest target of 127, India’s top order, led by Smriti Mandhana (32), Shafali Verma (31), and Jemimah Rodrigues (27*), ensured a comfortable victory with three overs to spare. The win marks a significant milestone in India’s white-ball journey, coming just months before they return to England for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Spin Sets the Stage

The foundation of India’s triumph was laid by their spin duo, Radha Yadav and newcomer Shree Charani, who collectively dismantled England’s batting. Their combined figures of 4 for 45 from eight overs choked the hosts on a slow surface, restricting them to 126 for 7 after England opted to bat first.

Radha, named Player of the Match, was clinical in the middle overs, removing a dangerous Tammy Beaumont and helping contain England through a lengthy boundary drought. Charani, equally effective, struck key blows including the dismissal of Alice Capsey, who fell lbw attempting a reverse sweep.

Deepti Makes History

Deepti Sharma made history by becoming the highest wicket-taker among spinners in women’s T20Is, surpassing Pakistan's Nida Dar. Her crucial breakthrough came with the dismissal of Sophia Dunkley, out to a flighted delivery that Radha caught with a sharp dive at point. Deepti now sits just six wickets behind Australia’s Megan Schutt in the all-time list.

England Falter Despite Ecclestone’s Effort

England struggled to find fluency, managing just eight boundaries in their entire innings. A mid-innings collapse saw them fall from 68 for 2 to 93 for 5, as India's bowlers tightened the screws. Poor running and sharp fielding from India – including three excellent catches by Arundhati Reddy – further hurt the hosts.

Sophie Ecclestone offered some late resistance in her 100th T20I, smashing two sixes off Deepti in the final over to lift England past 120. But it wasn’t enough to challenge a confident Indian batting unit.

Shafali and Mandhana Set the Tone

India’s openers came out blazing, with Shafali Verma hammering 14 runs off Lauren Filer in the second over. The pair raced to 56 inside seven overs, matching aggression with elegance. Mandhana struck cleanly over mid-on and looked in control before falling for 32.

Shafali’s return to form was timely, following a quiet series and exclusion from the ODI squad. Though she fell for 31, the early onslaught had already put India in a commanding position.

Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Steady the Ship

India did face a brief slowdown after the dismissals of their openers, going 40 deliveries without a boundary. However, Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur steadied the chase with a composed stand of 48 off 42 balls.

Though Harmanpreet fell just before the finish, Rodrigues ensured no late stumbles, calmly guiding India to victory and finishing unbeaten on 27.