India Women Break the English Stronghold in T20Is
For years, beating England in their own backyard was a dream for the India women's cricket team. That changed in 2025, as the squad finally clinched their maiden bilateral T20I series win on English soil. Fans had seen India fall short in six previous series, but this time, the tables turned—and in style.
India set the tone in the opening game, thumping England by a colossal 97 runs. Smriti Mandhana stole the spotlight with her very first T20I century—a stunning knock England never saw coming. If that didn't rattle the home side, the second match surely did, with India defending another solid total to bag a 24-run win. Suddenly, England were the ones chasing shadows.
The hosts weren't ready to roll over just yet. In the third game, they clawed back, edging India by a nervy five runs. But India's resolve was obvious. By the fourth T20I on July 9, they had their eyes locked on history. Chasing 127, the top order stayed cool. With just 17 overs needed, India powered home with six wickets in hand, handing themselves an unassailable 3-1 lead. The final T20I at Edgbaston went England's way, but the trophy was already heading east.
Performances That Turned the Tide
This series was about more than just numbers. India women were powered by personalities who stepped up when it mattered. Smriti Mandhana's century in game one was the beating heart of India's campaign, while Shafali Verma brought fireworks in the finale with a quickfire 75—cricket's answer to letting off steam after years of frustration against England.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur added her name to the record books, becoming India's most-capped women's cricketer with a staggering 334 international appearances, nudging past the legendary Mithali Raj. Her leadership was evident—not just in field placements and bowling changes, but in the way the team never looked rattled under pressure.
This trip wasn't all about T20s; three one-day internationals were also on the cards, running parallel with the men’s England-India series. But it’s the T20I breakthrough that’s got everyone talking. Before this, India's only T20I victory over England in England was a stand-alone match in 2006—a lonely memory until now.
The dressing room vibe after the decisive fourth match said it all. Laughter, hugs, and a few tears. Not just a win, but the end of a drought. Indian fans, both at home and in the stands, finally got to see history up close. England might have taken the last game, but India's women had already snatched the moment that counted.
