3rd WODI Preview: High-flying England eye series win vs India
What's the story
The Indian women's cricket team will take on a rejuvenated England in the series-deciding third ODI in Chester-le-Street on July 22. The match is crucial for both sides as they gear up for the ICC Women's ODI World Cup in two months. India won the first match by four wickets but lost a rain-affected game in London, leaving the three-match series tied at 1-1.
Match conditions
Riverside Ground pitch report
Four women's ODIs have been played at Riverside Ground in Chester-Le-Street, with teams batting first and second winning two games each. Batting first after winning the toss could be a preferred strategy as the pitch will be favorable for batting initially. The ground is known to provide even bounce and reliable swing off the track, making it a balanced wicket for this ODI series decider. Meanwhile, the game will get underway at 5:30pm IST.
Performance review
England outclassed India in 2nd ODI
In the second ODI, India struggled with poor shot selection and an inability to adapt to the conditions. They managed only 143 for eight in a rain-shortened 29-overs-a-side contest. England's top-order batters chased down the target with three overs to spare, leaving India with a lot to ponder ahead of the decider. Meanwhile, India chased down a target of 259 with four wickets in hand in the opening game.
Prospects
India's top-order batters key to success
For India to win the decider and clinch the series, they will need big contributions from their top-order batters. These include vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Pratika Rawal, and Harleen Deol. Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma are also expected to provide support lower down the order. Kranti Goud and Shree Charani will hold the key in the bowling department.
H2H
Here's the head-to-head record
In WODIs, England Women lead the head-to-head record against India Women with 40 wins in 78 matches (36 losses). However, India will be looking to turn things around after their impressive performance in the last match. On England soil, India have won just 10 of their 37 WODIs against the home team, losing 25. Notably, India are searching for their third bilateral WODI series win on England soil.
Team composition
Here are the probable XIs
England (Probable XI): Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Maia Bouchier, Em Arlott, Sophie Ecclestone, Charlotte Dean, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell. India (Probable XI): Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, Shree Charani, Kranti Goud.
Key players
Here are the key performers
Tammy Beaumont, who scored 34 runs in the second ODI, owns 2,547 runs in home WODIs at 45-plus. Smriti Mandhana has scored 897 WODI against England. She averages 49.83 against England. Sophie Ecclestone floored India with 3/27 in the second game. She averages a neat 18.11 against India, racing to 26 scalps from 14 matches.
Poll
