England Women v India: Hosts keep T20 series alive with thrilling final-ball win at The Oval in third match as Sophia Dunkley stars
Updated 05/07/2025 at 10:51 GMT+1
England held on to keep the series alive at The Oval in a thrilling third T20 match of the series against India. The tourists had the chance to take an unassailable 3-0 lead, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur at the crease for a final over which needed 12 runs. She was caught when going for six on the last ball, though, as England defended their target of 172.
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England held on to win by five runs in a thrilling T20 at The Oval to keep the series with India alive, with the hosts now 2-1 down.
Batting first, England set India the target of 172 after a superb 137-run partnership between openers Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge.
A major collapse gave India a shot at a chase and an unassailable 3-0 lead, after England lost nine wickets in four overs, with Deepti Sharma and Arundhati Reddy taking three wickets each.
India themselves started well, with an opening partnership of 85 from the first nine overs between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma.
Lauren Flier helped shift the tide, taking the wickets of Mandhana and Jemimiah Rodrigues. India required 12 off the final over, but captain Harmanpreet Kaur could not drive them to it before being caught on the final ball while needing a six.
Player of the Match Dunkley told Sky Sports: "We have had a tough start to this series for sure and to come out of there and fight like we did as a team is amazing.
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"We obviously did not nail our skills in every department but I think, to have the courage to come out there to fight and to stay in this series is really pleasing.
"[Wyatt-Hodge and I] both didn’t have the best start to the series, so I think for us, it was not to change anything, stick to our strengths and just play well together.
"We love batting together, it is great, we have got a really good relationship, so it was just great to take the game on and get us off to a good start.
"There has definitely been a lot of tinkering over the last 18 months, but I definitely feel in a place where I am happy where my batting is at, and I can just go out there and think about the game which is a great place to be and just focus on doing what I can for the team.
"That was absolutely unreal, I don’t think I have played in a game like that. The home support and the crowd was unbelievable, so it was just a great night to be involved in."
Sciver-Brunt ruled out of series through injury
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has been ruled out of the remainder of the series against India due to an injury to her left groin.
The 32-year-old was sidelined for the third T20 of the series at The Oval after picking up the injury in the second game at Bristol.
But it has now been confirmed she will be absent from the final two matches as well, following subsequent scans.
She has been replaced in the squad by Maia Bouchier, while Tammy Beaumont will continue to captain the side, having done so in Friday’s match.
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England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt
Image credit: Getty Images
Sciver-Brunt’s injury came despite the decision for her not to bowl, in an attempt to manage her workload.
Making the announcement, the ECB said she "is expected to be available for selection" for the three-match ODI series that will follow the T20 series.
Sciver-Brunt showed her class in the opening T20, hitting 66 at Trent Bridge, but it was Beaumont who top-scored in the second match at Bristol before leading the side to victory at The Oval.
Speaking before Friday’s T20, Beaumont said: "It's not the ideal circumstances, being 2-0 down, and with our captain and best batter out of the team.
"But the worst thing we could do right now is panic. We certainly believe we can come back and win, and we'll come out fighting."
The series now moves to Old Trafford on Wednesday, before a final showdown at Edgbaston next Saturday.
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