Women’s World Cup Live: India start campaign with strong 35-run win over England

The 11th edition of the Women’s World Cup began on Saturday with India beating England by 35 runs in Derby. Two-time winners and hosts England, however, were not able to counter Mithali Raj and her troops after Heather Knight won the toss and put them in to bat. India set an imposing target of 281 aided by fifties from the top three. In response, England were bowled out for 246. Smriti Mandhana was the player of the match for her aggressive 90 at the top of the innings.

Live updates:

India beat England by 35 runs. Deepti Sharma takes the last wicket as Shrubsole hoes it out to substitute fielder Veda Krishnamurthy in the deep. India begin their World Cup campaign on victorious note beating hosts and former champions England. This is England’s first loss to India in six years and a memorable win for Mithali Raj and Co.

Wicket. Bowled! Poonam Yadav goes right through Daneille Hazell’s defence as she tries a gaping sweep. Not much celebration from India because the game is well and truly done. England 236/9

Wicket. Another run out, this time Jenny Gunn is the one who has to walk back. England seem to be imploding even as the Indian fielding unit has suddenly become very alert and the results are showing. England need 52 from 32 with only two wickets in hand.

Wicket. Lone ranger Fran Wilson’s fight at the crease comes to a disappointing end. But it took a brilliant effort from Ekta Bisht to run out the top-scorer after a gritty 81 off 75. The bowler fields the ball right back at the stumps with quick reflexes, and despite a dive, Wilson’s bat is not grounded. India are pulling this right back after the burst of momentum from Brunt and Wilson. England 229/7.

Wicket. Katherine Brunt departs on 24 off 24. Crucial, crucial dismissal this for India, just when the partnership was threatening to take the game away. But what the bowlers couldn’t manage, Deepti Sharma does with a lightening direct hit at the non-striker’s end. Jenny Hunn the new batter in, with Fran Wilson still holding fort with a gritty 78. England need 64 runs from 48 balls.

England need 76 off 60. 17 runs come off that Shikha Pandey over as the English partnership crosses 50. With Wilson accelerating, Brunt playing the perfect foil and the Indian fielding slipping, it looks like England could be in with a chance to pull off a thrilling chase. The partnership is worth 52 now and as long as they are on crease together, anything is possible.

Fifty for Fran Wilson. The youngster brings up her maiden ODI half century with a boundary and couldn’t have chosen a more crucial time. Her 53 came off 57 balls as she alone as held fort for England. Till she is there on crease, England will consider themselves in with a chance.

Wicket. Deepti Sharma takes her second wicket of the day as Danielle Wyatt (nine off nine) departs after offering a simple return catch to the bowler. No sweat for India but that’s the noose tightening for England’s chase. Five wickets down with 128 runs to get. Tough.

India lose their DRS Review after unsuccessful challenge. Wyatt tries to sweep but misses and is rapped on the pads. Bowler Harmanpreet is confident and Raj takes the review, but it appears to be missing stumps completely. That’s the review gone for the day.

Wicket. This is the big one as England captain Heather Knight departs after a fighting 46 off 69. Harmapreet Kaur’s lightening quick fielding gets the breakthrough as she finds her mark with a direct from the bowler’s end before they can complete a quick single.

Is this it for England? Knight was their best chance and she seemed to be taking the attack to the bowlers. Dani Wyatt is the new batter in. England 134-4 chasing 282.

England captain Heather Knight takes the attack to Poonam Yadav in the 30th over. Starting with a cleanly hit six, Knight went on to score 15 runs in the over to give England some much needed impetus. England 129/3 after 30, need 153 runs from 120 balls.

100 comes up for England. They get to the three figure mark in the 27th over, and need 179 runs more from 138 balls – a tall ask for most teams.

England in trouble. They have already lost their top three batters and now the spinners have applied the bakes on scoring as well, with the asking rate over seven. England 82/3 in 22 overs.

Wicket. First DRS review of Women’s World Cup and it’s successful. India review a caught behind decision given not out by the umpire. But bowler Deepti Sharma and keeper Sushma Verma are confident and Raj reviews, and it’s given to much celebration.

Wicket off the first ball for Sharma and an excellent catch from Verma. Natalie Sciver has to walk back out on 18 and England are reduced to 67/3 in 17.1 overs.

Oh dear, looks like India’s star batter Smriti Mandhana is down. The opener who missed about six months of cricket after an ACL injury sustained during the Women’s Big Bash League, has just returned to the India squad. She’s getting treatment on her leg but this doesn’t look good for India. She walks off the field with a wobble in her step.

Fifty up for England. It took them 14 overs to reach there and they have already lost two wickets in the big chase. Captain Knight and Natalie Sciver will have to take up a lot of responsibility to veer England out of this current situation.

Wicket. Shikha Pandey strikes again! It’s the dangerous Sarah Taylor who departs on 22. She chips to to mid-on and Mona Meshram pouches a very good, high catch to give India a strong early advantage. England 42/2.

England finish the Powerplay with 40/1, a fairly slow start compared to India’s blistering one.

Wicket. Shikha Pandey strikes the first blow for India! Tammy Beaumont goes for 14, edging a behind to slips and Smriti Mandhana holds on. Captain Heather Knight in the new batter in. England 33/1 in 8.1 overs.

Here we go England started their chase slow with only five runs in the first two overs. But India make some early fielding mistakes which dropped catches and misfields.

India finish on 281/3 after 50 overs, a comprehensive total that will need England to notch their highest every successful ODI chase if they are to win. Smriti Mandhana (90), Punam Raut (86), and Mithali Raj (71) set up the tone for the score and have given India a solid target to defend.

Harmanpreet does what she does best and wallops the second ball for a huge six and India get 12 runs in the penultimate over. India 274/2 in 49 overs

More records for India. This is now the highest score against England in ODIs. The previous was 243, India is now 262/2 after 48 overs.

Fifty for Mithali Raj! But this is no ordinary half-century, this a record-breaking one as the Indian captain becomes the first cricketer to score seven straight fifty-plus scores in ODIs. What a time to get the record, India 241/2 in 46 overs.

This is also the second time that the top three Indian batters have scored fifty plus in the same match.

Wicket. England have captured their second wicket in the 43rd over. Opener Punam Raut falls on 86 off 234 balls, again close to a very deserving ton, as she sweeps Danielle Hazell straight to Danielle Wyatt at deep square leg. But she walks out to applause from the crowd and team, and rightly so. India 232/2 in 43 overs.

India’s strong batting performance has been invariably aided by some sloppy work by England in the field.

5.30 pm: At the end of 40 overs, India have reached 207 for the loss of only one wicket. With 10 overs and nine wickets in hand, Raj and Co will fancy themselves to get a solid total to defend.

Fifty-run partnership up between Punam Raut and Mithali Raj, the second big partnership of this match. Raj stroked a couple of delightful boundaries to give the score a push. India reach 199/1 in 38 overs.

The 200 comes off the very next ball, setting up a good platform for a death over explosion.

5.15 pm: India are going steady at 176/1 after 35 overs, with the current partnership worth 32 runs in a little over eight overs. Raut, on 65, was playing the anchor when Mandhana was on crease, and will look to accelerate. England, however, have pulled the game back a little.

5.05 pm: A maiden over follows, with Katherine Brunt making up for some of the earlier runs leaked.
This will be a crucial period of play for India.

5.00 pm: India score 15 runs in the next two overs, including a fine Six from Raut, to bring the scoring rate back up with Raj joining Raut’s run party. Both batters are going for their shots with drives and sweeps to get to the boundary. Positive intent this from India.

India reach the 150 mark at the end of the 30th over. But the scoring rate is climbing down after the fall of the first wicket. With the veteran Raj and the half-centurian Raut on crease, India will be looking to build on.

Captain Mithali Raj is the new batter in. remember, she has scored a half-century in her last six ODIs. Will she add to the record today?

Wicket. Oh dear, Smriti Mandhana departs on 90!. England get their first breakthrough finally, in the 27th over as captain Heather Knight gets Mandhana after a well-made 90 off 72. The southpaw who has looked in excellent touch offers a straight catch to Hazell at mid-wicket and falls just short of a deserving century. She raises her bat as she walks away to applause from the crowd and her teammates. India 145/1

Fifty for Punam Raut, and she gets there in impressive fashion with a stylish shot for four. Her half-century has come off 87 balls as the right-hander has played the perfect foil to the marauding Mandhana. Together, the Indian openers are doing almost all things right in the middle and the team looks set for a strong total after being put in to bat.

4.30 pm: India take the batting Powerplay in the 24th over and score a 20 whopping runs off it. Mandhana starts with a smashing six, and a single later, Raut maneuvers an innovative scoop for four. The onslaught continues as Mandhana hits back-to-back fours off the last two balls. Anya Shrubsole can’t do much but stare. India 133/0 after 24.

Hundred run partnership up for India! The opening pair Mandhana (64) and Raut (33) have given India an excellent start to the match and the World Cup. The lack of breakthroughs in the first 20 overs will put England under pressure as well, as India will plan to go big soon.

4.15 pm: England spin duo of Danielle Hazell and Jenny Gunn are bowling in tandem to try and contain India’s openers and have given away only 11 runs in the last three overs. India 90/0 after 19 overs.

Meanwhile, India captain Mithali Raj is sitting all padded up on the sidelines, complete with a book. After her viral response to sexist question on Thursday, another example showing rare style.

4.00 pm: Fifty for Smriti Mandhana! The opener gets there with is style with a boundary, in 48 balls studded with eight fours and a huge Six. What positive cricket from the 20-year-old on her return to the Indian team after injury.

India remain steady even as English spinners apply the breaks after the Powwerplay. Raut, trying to accelerate, lofted Jenny Gunn high and was almost caught but fielder fell short. India 79/0 after 16.

3.50 pm: India finished the Powerplay with 59 runs on board at almost run a ball – an excellent start. England introduced spin in the attack and they manage to contain the scoring rate a little with only seven runs coming off the next two overs. 66/0 after 12.

3.35 pm: That’s the 50-run opening partnership for India. It comes in the ninth over as Mandhana takes on Shrubsole for a four off the last ball of the over. Earlier, the eight over by Natalie Sciver was a maiden, building the pressure on Raut. But Mandhana looks to be in free-flowing form, a dangerous sign for England.
India 53/9 after 9.

3.30 pm: Anya Shrubsole starts the seventh over with five dot balls as the pressure builds on Raut. But the opener dispatches the last ball of the over straight and high, it falls safe and India are 48/0 at the end of seven overs.

India score 12 runs off the over, with Mandhana scoring a blistering six – the first of the match to take India to 44/0 after 6 overs.

At the end of five overs, India are 32/0 – a healthy start indeed, thanks to the aggressive start by the openers.

3.20 pm: Sole silky beautiful batting from Smriti Mandhana. She’s fired away to 24 off just 12 balls, which included four boundaries in one over from Katherine Brunt. This is a fantastic little start for India!

3.00 pm: A lot of cheers around as India’s openers, Punam Raut and Smriti Mandhana come out to open the batting. England won the toss and decided to field in overcast conditions. The ball is definitely moving around. Watchfully played out by Raut. 3/0 after 1 overs.

Here’s the team: