India Women's Test team have etched their name in the history by winning the first ever test match in a one-off test contest at the Lord's stadium. The visitors dominated the contest from start to finish,
excelling with both bat and ball to register a mammoth 270-run win at the Home of Cricket. Smriti Mandhana missed out on a well deserved century in the first innings after getting dismissed for 83 runs, while the captain Harmanpreet Kaur added 58 runs to the total.
After posting a competitive first-innings total, India seized complete control through a disciplined bowling performance. Kranti Gaud starred with a sensational five-wicket haul, becoming the first woman to earn a place on the Lord's Test honours board. The bowlers maintained relentless pressure, dismissing England cheaply and giving India a commanding first-innings lead by 115 runs.
India then buried England's hopes in the second innings. Yastika Bhatia produced a magnificent century, becoming the first woman to score a Test hundred at Lord's. Her composed knock, supported by valuable contributions from the middle order, allowed India to declare with a massive lead and set England a daunting 457-run target for the Englishwomen.
England struggled to cope with India's disciplined attack in the final innings as wickets fell at regular intervals. Despite brief resistance from the lower order, the hosts were unable to mount a comeback, handing India a memorable and well-deserved victory. The final wicket which etched the victory for team India was Sophie Ecclestone’s dismissal by Sneh Rana.
England Women endured a disappointing outing in the historic one-off Test against India at Lord's, falling well short in all three departments. Playing the first-ever women's Test at the iconic venue, the hosts struggled to build momentum after India's disciplined performances with both bat and ball exposed several weaknesses.
England falter in historic Lord's Test despite Sophie Ecclestone's five-wicket haul
England's biggest setback came in the first innings, where the batting lineup crumbled for just 170 after India had posted 285. Kranti Gaud's relentless spell dismantled the middle order, while England's experienced batters failed to convert starts into meaningful scores. The early deficit proved decisive as India seized complete control of the contest.
Although Sophie Ecclestone provided a bright spot by claiming a five-wicket haul in India's second innings, becoming the first England woman to feature on the Lord's honours board, the bowling unit struggled to contain India's batters for long periods. Yastika Bhatia's historic century and valuable partnerships pushed England further behind, leaving the hosts with an enormous fourth-innings target.
England's second innings never gathered enough momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals, with senior players unable to produce the fightback the team desperately needed. The emotional farewell for Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont added significance to the occasion, but it ended in disappointment as England failed to match India's intensity.
