Sophie Ecclestone stars as England women ease to win over India at Lord's to take One Day International series to decider
Updated 19/07/2025 at 20:21 GMT+1
England ensured the One Day International series with India would go to a deciding game after a convincing win in the second match at Lord's. There were fears of a washout after a deluge of rain in London, but the weather improved in the afternoon and England dominated proceedings. India won the first match of the series, which will be concluded in Durham on Tuesday.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
England cruised to an eight-wicket victory over India at Lord’s to level the One Day International series and set up a decider at Chester-Le-Street.
In a match reduced in overs due to rain in London, England restricted India to 143-8 from their 29 overs and chased down a revised target of 115 with 18 balls remaining,
The teams will head to Durham for the final ODI on Tuesday. India won the T20 series earlier in the summer.
After a significant rain delay, England won the toss and elected to bowl in a game reduced to 29 overs.
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said her decision to bowl first was dictated by the pitch being under the covers for a significant period of time.
It proved to be a shrewd move as Em Arlott removed Pratika Rawal in the second over of the innings with an excellent dipping yorker.
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Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol set about a rebuild, but the introduction of Sophie Ecclestone shifted the momentum as England’s star spinner removed Deol and Harmanpreet Kaur in rapid fashion, while Charlie Dean claimed the wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues with a sharp catch off her own bowling.
Rodrigues was the second Indian batter to fall caught and bowled, with Ecclestone demonstrating excellent agility to dive to her left to dismiss Deol.
Ecclestone, who was named player of the match, trapped Richa Ghosh LBW, as she returned figures of 3-27 from her six overs.
Mandhana top scored for India with 42 from 51 balls, and Deepti Sharma’s 30 not out off 34 lifted the tourists to 143-8 from their 29 overs.
England made an electric start to their chase, with Tammy Beaumont’s first three scoring shots reaching the boundary.
Beaumont fell LBW to Sneh Rana, but her 34 off 35 balls laid the foundations for a successful chase.
Sciver-Brunt joined Amy Jones at the crease and kept the chase on track, but the players were taken from the field of play by another heavy shower.
England needed 47 from 66 balls when the players left the field, but returned 25 minutes later with a revised target of 13 from 32 balls.
Sciver-Brunt fell to the second ball upon the resumption, as Kranti Goud found prodigious movement to knock over the England skipper’s middle stump.
With rain falling, India began to stall for time knowing 20 overs had to be completed to constitute a game.
India captain Harmanpreet reviewed a wide to take time out of the game, but it was to no avail as the 20th over was reached and shortly afterwards Sophia Dunkley crashed the ball down the ground to wrap up the win.
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