India are on the verge of a landmark Test win at Lord's, needing just 4 more wickets to seal victory in the historic women's match. Chasing a mammoth target of 457 runs, England managed only 130 runs for the loss of 6 wickets by the end of day three's play. The hosts still need 327 runs to win and have only 4 wickets in hand, putting India firmly in control heading into the fourth day.
India Build A Solid Platform After Losing The Toss
Put in to bat after losing the toss, India stumbled early, losing 2 wickets for just 37 runs. Smriti Mandhana then steadied the innings, first adding 64 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues before forging an important 89-run stand with captain Harmanpreet Kaur for the fourth wicket. Mandhana was dismissed for 83, an innings studded with 12 boundaries, while Kaur contributed 58 runs. Deepti Sharma chipped in with a further 57 runs before India were eventually bowled out for 285. Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the England bowlers, finishing with figures of 3 wickets.
England Bowled Out For 170 In Reply
Replying to India's 285, England also struggled, slipping to 47 for the loss of 4 wickets. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt then combined with Amy Jones for an 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket in an attempt to steady the innings. Sciver-Brunt made 44 with 5 boundaries before falling, while Jones scored 52, hitting 6 fours. The rest of the England batting could not sustain the recovery, and the innings folded for 170. Krishna Gaud was the standout bowler for India, claiming 5 wickets for 37 runs.
Yastika's Historic Century Powers India's Big Second-Innings Lead
India had already secured a 115-run lead on the back of their first-innings total. Building on that advantage, the visitors declared their second innings at 341 for 7, setting England a daunting target of 457 runs to win. Smriti Mandhana added 88 runs with Shafali Verma for the first wicket, with Verma contributing 33 runs. Mandhana then put on 73 runs with Yastika Bhatia for the second wicket. Mandhana fell for 70, hitting 10 boundaries, while Yastika Bhatia played a superb innings of 113 runs studded with 14 fours. With that knock, Yastika Bhatia became the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's. Richa Ghosh then made an unbeaten 50 off 52 balls, an innings that included 8 fours. Sophie Ecclestone once again finished with the best figures for England, taking 5 wickets in the innings.
Just 4 Wickets Stand Between India And History On Day Four
Chasing the towering target of 457, England could only add 130 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 40 overs by the close of day three. The hosts lost an early wicket with the score on just 2, as Tammy Beaumont departed for a duck. Things got worse from there, with England slipping to 59 for 5. However, Maddy Villiers and Amy Jones then added 67 runs for the sixth wicket, dragging India's wait for victory into the fourth day. Villiers was dismissed for 26, hitting 3 boundaries, while Amy Jones remained unbeaten on 52, once again with 6 fours to her name. Sayali Satghare, Krishna Gaud and Sneh Rana picked up 2 wickets apiece for India in this innings. Notably, this is the first-ever women's Test match to be played at the historic Lord's ground, and India will be eager to win it and etch their names in history.
