India women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana’s poor form continued in the third T20I against England at Taunton on Tuesday. After registering a duck and 32 in the first T20Is, respectively, Mandhana managed just 8 runs off 9 balls before falling prey to Charlie Dean in the Powerplay.
She ended with 40 runs in three matches, which is now her lowest against England in a 3-match T20I series. Her previous lowest was 64 during England Women’s tour of India, in which she registered 6, 10 and 48.
Smriti Mandhana’s lowest scores against England (below 100) in a 3-match T20I series
| Runs | Year |
|---|---|
| 40 | 2026 |
| 64 | 2023 |
| 72 | 2019 |
Mandhana’s early departure led to a mini batting collapse before she steadied the innings with a composed half-century, guiding India to 180/5. She was supported by useful
contributions from Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma. Despite early setbacks with the bat, India recovered well through the middle overs to post a competitive score.
England secured a confidence-boosting six-wicket win over India, sealing the series 2-1 ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup. Chasing a challenging 181, England were in trouble at 38 for 3 before Alice Capsey and Heather Knight turned the game around with a match-winning 137-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Capsey led the charge with a blistering 82 off 43 balls, while Knight anchored the innings with an unbeaten 70 off 42, hitting the winning runs in style.
Kranti Gaud impressed with early breakthroughs, removing key batters and briefly putting England under pressure. However, Capsey’s aggressive strokeplay shifted momentum decisively. Earlier, a brilliant run-out by Sophie Ecclestone provided a key moment in the field, though she later endured a missed chance on the final ball.
