England suffered a disappointing 38-run defeat to India in the first T20 international of their three-match series.
Jemimah Rodrigues (69 off 40 balls) and Yastika Bhatia (54 off 40) starred with the bat for the visitors at Chelmsford, their 126-run stand for the third wicket helping India recover from the loss of both openers in the first over and set them on their way to a winning target.
Amy Jones tonked a terrific 67 off 48 as England briefly threatened in the run-chase, only to ultimately fall well short on 150-8. The series moves to Bristol for the second T20I on Sunday – live on Sky Sports Cricket from 2pm (first ball 2.30pm).
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Lauren Bell dismisses Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma in the first over during England’s first T20 clash against India
After England won the toss and elected to bowl first, Lauren Bell (3-34) saw off Smriti Mandhana – stepping up as captain for the rested Harmanpreet Kaur – for a duck first ball, before adding Shafali Verma (2), both out tamely when chipping to cover and mid-on respectively.
But Issy Wong’s second over, which contained a few costly wides as well as several Bhatia boundaries, went for 27 runs in an explosive start to the game, and helped speed up India’s recovery.
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Issy Wong conceded 27 runs in a costly first over against India during England’s first T20 clash
Their fifty came up in the fourth over, with 73 scored from the six-over powerplay as England failed to find an answer, with a few errors in the outfield hardly helping the hosts’ cause.
Tilly Corteen-Coleman, on T20I debut, failed to track a top-edged Rodrigues sweep when on 16, Amy Jones missed a stumping of Bhatia on 51, while Dani Gibson also put her down on 53.
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Issy Wong stuns with an incredible catch to remove Richa Ghosh and gift Tilly Corteen-Coleman a debut wicket
Those latter two errors at least didn’t prove too costly as Bhatia was finally run out for 54 in the 14th over, in which England struck twice in the space of three balls – both set batters gone as Charlie Dean (1-26) claimed Rodrigues caught and bowled.
Corteen-Coleman (1-19) bagged a debut wicket in the 16th, the 18-year-old spinner owing a great deal to a terrific, tumbling catch by Wong at short third to see off Richa Ghosh (4) cheaply, while Wong herself bowled Bharti Fulmali (7) two balls later.
It meant India were suddenly 148-6 and stumbling somewhat to the finish, until Deepti Sharma smashed 22 vital runs off 13 balls late on to lift the visitors – that is before she became Bell’s third victim off the penultimate ball of the innings.
In reply, Kranti Gaud (2-24) claimed both England openers early doors, with Sophia Dunkley (16) miscuing a slog to mid-off and Alice Capsey (6) nicking off.
Jones kept the home side in with a sniff thanks to her sixth T20I fifty, coming off 32 balls, as she and Heather Knight put on 64 for the third wicket.
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Watch the best shots of Amy Jones’ 67 against India in the first T20 at Chelmsford
Knight, celebrating her 310th appearance for England – the most by anyone across all three formats – wasn’t at her best though, despite the strong partnership with Jones, as she used up 24 deliveries for her 22 runs before holing out in the deep.
England, falling behind the required rate, crumbled thereafter as Nandani Sharma claimed 3-34 in the closing overs, including the key wicket of Jones and Gibson off consecutive deliveries to end the 16th.
Freya Kemp (8) and Wong (4) both offered little resistance, while Sophie Ecclestone (13) was run out in rather calamitous fashion in the final over as India wrapped up a convincing victory.
Sky pundits baffled by England’s team selection
Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain:
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Nasser Hussain and Tash Farrant questioned the selection of the England side that lost by 38 runs to India in the first T20
“I’m not sure England are good enough at the moment, looking at recent performances in World Cups, to suddenly say: ‘We’ll give everyone a go and change our winning formula.’
“What has been the most successful formula for England in the powerplay is Lauren Bell at one end and Linsey Smith at the other end.
“What do they do? They rest Linsey Smith. She had a rest for six months in the winter! England didn’t play an international game from October 29 until May.
“They’re now resting people. We’re two weeks away from a World Cup; play your best side!
“Bring someone in [Wong] and they go for 27, and that momentum you’ve got from Lauren Bell gets washed away!”
Sky Sports Cricket’s Tash Farrant:
“More confusion, and also diminishing the confidence of that series win against New Zealand.
“We knew India were going to be a step up, but you’ve now got to put another person at the top of the order.
“I’m confused about who is going to bat at the top of the order. I presume Danni Wyatt-Hodge is going to come back at the top for England.
“Sophia Dunkley looks like she’s struggling for form. I’m confused about what the batting order is. Seeing the players after this game you feel like the confidence is going the other way.”
England vs India T20I series results/fixtures
All times UK and Ireland, all live on Sky Sports
First T20I (Chelmsford) – India won by 38 runsSecond T20I (Bristol) – Saturday May 30 (2.30pm)Third T20I (Taunton) – Tuesday June 2 (6.30pm)
Watch the Women’s T20 World Cup live in full on Sky Sports from June 12-July 5. Hosts England kick off the tournament on opening night with a game versus Sri Lanka at Edgbaston (6.30pm start). Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW
