Harmanpreet special outclasses England as India clinch the series

Harmanpreet Kaur (PC: Twitter)

A high-quality show by the Women in Blue that took England Women away by storm in the 2nd ODI saw Harmanpreet Kaur produce a 143-run masterclass. 

The hosts were then rattled by Renuka Singh Thakur (4/57) in the second innings, who broke the spine of the batting order to win the match by 88 runs and take the unassailable 2-0 lead in a three-match ODI series.

After being asked to bat first at St. Lawrence ground in Canterbury, visitors had a rather challenging start where they lost Shafali Verma (8) early in the second over. However, things from there on went into India's control after stacking up a 54-run partnership between Yastika Bhatia (26) and Smriti Mandhana (40) to take the score to 66 for 2 in the 12th over. 

With skipper Harmanpreet coming in to bat, India asserted complete dominance over their counterparts after some serious fireworks were displayed in Kent. Kaur played an explosive 143-run knock which consisted of four sixes and eighteen fours, also remaining not-out in the end to stitch an outstanding 113-run partnership with Harleen Deol (58). 

Some extraordinary late blitz from the 33-year-old saw India finishing on a mammoth 333 for the loss of five wickets, with each of the bowlers picking up a wicket, but Charlie Dean standing out with her 1/39 in 10 overs.

Renuka Singh Thakur too hot to handle for England

Chasing 334 for victory, it was all-trouble for England from the beginning when Tammy Beaumont (6) and Sophia Dunkley (1) departed with scorecard showing 12/2 in 3.3 overs.

Renuka claimed one after the other to claim four crucial wickets to take England down. Danielle Wyatt (65) did show some resistance to take her side to 167/5 inside the 30th over, but the downfall caused them to lose three more within the next three overs with the target looking too big. 

Alice Capsey and Amy Jones scored 39 each, along with Charlie Dean (37) were not enough as England's innings got summed up for just 245, falling 88 short of the finishing line.

Dayalan Hemalatha was another performer from the Indian side who knocked two batters out and gave away just six runs.

Brief Scores:

India Women: 333-5 (50 Overs)

Harmanpreet Kaur 143* (111), Harleen Deol 58 (72);
Charlie Dean 1/39 (10), Sophie Ecclestone 1/64 (10)

England Women: 245-10 (44.2 Overs)

Danielle Nicole Wyatt 65 (58), Alice Capsey 39 (36);
Renuka Singh Thakur 4/57 (10), Dayalan Hemalatha 2/6 (2.2)

Match Result: India Women won by 88 runs.

Also Read: Nurul Hasan replaces Shakib Al Hasan as Bangladesh's T20I captain