Freya Kemp’s all-round show helped England draw level in the three-match series as they beat India by 26 runs in the second women’s T20I in Bristol on Saturday.
Kemp starred with the bat by scoring a fluent 39 not out off 13 balls and returned figures of 2 for 15, which included the key wickets of Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues in two overs to restrict India to 142/9 in pursuit of 169. With the series now level at 1-1, the decider T20I will be played in Taunton on Tuesday.
India had kept the hosts under check with left-arm spinner Shree Charani returning figures of 3 for 25 until Kemp’s late assault which included two sixes and two fours in a 24-run final over off Arundhati Reddy, helped England plunder 39 runs from the last two overs and put up 168 for 5.
Chasing 169, India got off to a strong start with openers Shafali Verma (22 off 14) and Smriti Mandhana (32 off 25) playing attacking cricket from the start. Even after losing both openers, India were in a good position at 78 for 2 after 10 overs.
However, England spinners Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone took control in the middle overs. They kept things tight, stopped the flow of boundaries and gradually pushed up the required run rate.
Yastika Bhatia got a lifeline on 29 when Dean dropped a return catch, but she struggled to increase the scoring rate. With the asking rate going beyond 12 runs per over, India decided to retire her out after she made 33 off 36 balls.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur tried to keep the chase alive with a quick 28 off 22 balls, including a six off Lauren Bell over deep backward square leg. During her innings, Harmanpreet became only the third batter in Women’s T20I history to score 4,000 runs, joining Suzie Bates and Smriti Mandhana.
But England kept picking up wickets at crucial moments.
Kemp dismissed Jemimah soon after she came to the crease and Dean then struck twice in four balls, removing Richa Ghosh (8) and Harmanpreet.
Harmanpreet’s dismissal proved to be the turning point as she edged Dean behind while trying to play an attacking shot.
With the required run rate climbing rapidly and wickets falling regularly, India could not recover, and England secured a comfortable win to keep the series alive.
Earlier, England started cautiously, managing just six runs in the first two overs. Sophia Dunkley then broke the pressure with a six off Arundhati Reddy over long-on.
India made an early breakthrough when debutant Nandini Sharma continued her impressive form. Dunkley (10 off 14) edged a delivery behind to wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh.
England reached only 35 for 1 in the powerplay and struggled to score freely.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge, playing after returning from maternity leave and Amy Jones tried to rebuild the innings with a 36-run partnership. But Charani provided India with a breakthrough by dismissing Wyatt-Hodge for 29 off 25 balls. The opener attempted an attacking shot but found Mandhana at short third.
Charani struck again later to remove the well-set Jones for 28 off 22 balls, further slowing England’s progress.
Alice Capsey looked in good touch during her 28-run knock and added 27 runs with Jones, but Shreyanka Patil ended her innings as England continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.
Just when India seemed to be in complete control, Kemp produced a late cameo. Her quick runs in the final overs lifted England to a total that proved to be well above par on a slow and difficult batting surface.
