Following India’s commanding 97-run win in the first of five Women’s T20I, eyes turn to the second clash of India women tour of England 2025, scheduled for the 1st of July 2025, at County Ground, Bristol, starting 11:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
India made a bold statement in the opening T20I of the series, crushing England by 97 runs to go 1-0 up. Stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana led from the front, blazing her way to a career-best 112 off just 62 deliveries, steering India to a daunting total of 210/5. She found strong support from Harleen Deol, who chipped in with a valuable 23-ball 43 to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Debutant N. Shree Charani then turned heads with the ball, returning exceptional figures of 4/12 in 3.5 overs and dismantling England’s batting lineup with ease. Only Nat Sciver-Brunt offered any resistance, scoring a gritty 66, as England were eventually bowled out for 113. This emphatic win marked India’s largest margin of victory over England in Women’s T20Is, and England’s most significant defeats in the format.
Squads:
England Women’s Cricket Team
Nat Sciver-Brunt (C), Emily Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Amy Jones, Paige Scholfield, Linsey Smith, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Issy Wong
India Women’s Cricket Team
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Yastika Bhatia (WK), Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav
Players to watch out:
Nat Sciver-Brunt
The English skipper stood tall in the first T20I with a resilient 66 off 42, keeping England afloat. A veteran of 136 WT20Is, she has scored 2947 runs with the highest score of 82 and scalped 90 wickets in 117 innings. Her dual threat makes her a key asset to her side.
Lauren Bell
Bell was one of the few positives from England’s bowling unit, grabbing 3/27, in the opening match. With 47 wickets in 33 matches, including the best of 4/12, her ability to swing the new ball and take wickets at regular intervals makes her crucial in breaking key partnerships.
Shafali Verma
Back in the Indian side, Shafali remains a top-order powerhouse. Known for her explosive starts, she struck 20 off 22 in the first T20I of this series. Across 85 WT20I innings, she has scored 2065 runs at a brisk strike rate, with a personal best of 81. A threat in the powerplay, Shafali’s aggression can tilt the game early.
N Shree Charani
N Shree Charani made headlines with a dream spell of 4/12 in 3.5 overs, rattling England’s middle order in the series opener. Her control, flight and composure under pressure make her one of India’s most exciting emerging bowling options.
Pitch:
Bristol County Ground pitch is known to be generally slow and favors spinners, making it a challenging surface for batters. While it can be a good batting wicket, it also offers some assistance to bowlers, particularly with the new ball.
Weather:
The temperature hovers around 27°C, with 59% of humidity. Skies may seem cloudy as the day progresses, but with a negligible forecast of rain, a complete game of cricket can be anticipated.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, N. Shree Charani, Sophie Ecclestone, Radha Yadav
Match Details:
Date – July 1, 2025
Time – 11:00 PM IST
Venue – County Ground, Bristol
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on FanCode and Sony Liv, with the telecasted available on Sony Sports.
