Last ball winner ensures England win over India before T20 drought

As Richard wrote ahead of England’s 5^th IT20 against India at Edgbaston, next T20 fixture Charlotte Edwards’ side play will be in May 2026, just 4 weeks before the home ICC T20 World Cup begins.

Photo Credit: England Cricket

In nervy fashion, England found a consolation win by five wickets to end the series 3-2 to India. With Ecclestone hitting the winning run off the final ball, a quick jab and run, India looked defeated having started the game with such intensity.

Shafali Verma’s rapid 75 from 41 balls was an innings that looked like it could be turned into a century. Off-spinner Charlie Dean was the pick of the bowlers for her 3/23 but importantly, preventing any more damage from Verma. In an innings where India could have easily pushed to 180+ (at one point 200 looked on), 167 would have been a considerably relieving total for England’s batters.

At the Oval in the 3^rd IT20, it was Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge scoring runs as the opening pair which set England up for a marginal win in a thriller under the lights. At Edgbaston the pair replicated. Scoring 46 and 56 respectively, the 101-run stand was vital in another tight victory.

Spin has been England’s nemesis but on this occasion the batters were able to quell the threats of Shree Charani and while Deepti Sharma took two wicket, she was expensive.

The 1981 hit ‘Under Pressure’ always seems to boom out of stadium speakers, England often crumbling under it. But was this a case where England really were under pressure? In some ways yes, but equally it was a dead rubber. It was not handing the pressure of a World Cup knockout game or a series decider but it did still matter.

The ODIs (Southampton, Lord’s and Durham) are where eyes turn to with the challenge of a World Cup immediately around the corner. Familiar themes still surround this England side but two close wins are surely and improvement from January’s whitewash.