India beat England, script biggest win in Women's Test history
The Indian women's cricket team has thrashed England by 347 runs in the one-off Test match in Navi Mumbai. Harmanpreet Kaur's team dominated the Brits throughout the duel as they walked away with the biggest win in a Women's Test, in terms of runs. While many players did well for the home side, Deepti Sharma stood out with her all-round heroics.
How did the game pan out?
India posted a mammoth 428 while batting first as the likes of debutant Satheesh (69), Jemimah Rodrigues (68), Yastika Bhatia (66), and Deepti (67) starred with half-centuries. In reply, the Brits were bundled out for 136 thanks to Deepti's fifer. Harmanpreet scored 44 as India declared their second innings at 186/6. Chasing a mammoth 479, the Brits could only manage 131.
Biggest win in Test history
As per ESPNcricinfo, India recorded the biggest win in Women's Test history, in terms of runs (347). They went past Sri Lanka, who defeated Pakistan by 309 runs in the 1998 Colombo Test. No other team even has a 200-plus run win in the format.
India's second-highest total in Women's Tests
India's 428 while batting first is now their second-highest total in Women's Tests. Their highest total (467) also came against England, way back in August 2002 in Taunton. Meanwhile, the Indian team breached the 400-run mark for the fifth time in Women's Tests. This is also now India's highest team total in a Women's Test at home.
The second-fastest Test half-century by an Indian woman
Debutant Satheesh now has the second-fastest half-century by an Indian woman in Test cricket. The 24-year-old raced to the mark off 49 balls. She is now only behind Sangita Dabir, who smashed a 40-ball fifty against England in 1995. Satheesh ended up scoring 69 off 76 balls, a knock laced with 13 boundaries. She did not arrive to bat in India's second innings.
Rodrigues scores fifty on Test debut
Another debutant, Rodrigues played in tandem with Satheesh and scored a brilliant fifty. While Satheesh was the aggressor, Rodrigues played second fiddle, collecting occasional boundaries. The latter went on to smash 68 off 99 balls, a knock laced with 11 fours. It was her maiden fifty in Test cricket. Rodrigues contributed with a quick-fire 29-ball 27 in her second outing.
Maiden fifty for Yastika Bhatia
Playing her second Test, youngster Yastika Bhatia slammed her maiden fifty in the format. In India's first innings, she smashed 66 off 88 balls with the help of 10 fours and a six. The wicket-keeper could only manage nine runs in her second outing. Bhatia could only manage 22 runs across two innings on her Test debut.
Fourth fifty for Natalie Sciver-Brunt
Natalie Sciver-Brunt was England's lone fighter with the bat in the duel as she managed a handy 70-ball 59 in England's first innings (10 fours). The all-rounder, however, bagged a golden duck in her second outing. Playing her 10th Test, she has now raced to 649 runs at 43.26. The tally includes four fifties and a ton.
Career-best figures for Dean in Tests
Off-spinner Charlotte Dean was superb for England in the second innings as she finished with 4/63. This is her maiden four-fer in this format. She removed the likes of Shafali, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti and Sneh Rana. The 22-year-old, who took a wicket in India's first innings as well, now owns seven scalps across two Tests at 29.14.
Second-best figures by an Indian versus England in Women's Tests
Deepti finished with 5/7 in England's first innings and registered the second-best bowling figures by an Indian versus England in Women's Tests. She is only behind Neetu David's 8/53 (1995). Deepti returned with 4/32 in her second outing. Her match figures of 9/39 are now the second-best for an Indian. The off-spinner is only behind Jhulan Goswami's 10/78 against England (2006).
The second Indian to score 50 and scalp a fifer
Deepti also hammered a 113-ball 67 in the first innings. The 26-year-old became the second Indian to score a fifty and take five wickets in a Women's Test. She joined Shubangi Kulkarni, who scored 79 and claimed 6/99 against New Zealand in 1995. In three Women's Tests, Deepti has raced to 239 runs at 59.75 (50s: 3). The tally includes 14 scalps at 10.
