Last-Ball Drama: England Women Clinch Edgbaston Thriller Despite Shafali’s Heroics

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A Night of High Stakes and High Nerves

The fifth and final T20I at Edgbaston delivered a heart-stopping finish as England Women edged out India by five wickets, sealing a consolation win in a series already claimed by the visitors. The match went down to the very last ball, capping off a fiercely contested series that showcased the growing depth and drama in women’s cricket.

Key Highlights

England chased down 168, their highest successful run chase in a home women’s T20I, with no balls to spare.
Shafali Verma starred for India with a blistering 75 off 41 balls, hitting 13 boundaries and a six, notching her 11th T20I half-century and the second-fastest fifty by an Indian woman in the format.
Charlie Dean (3 for 23) and Sophie Ecclestone (2 for 28) were instrumental in pegging back India’s middle order and sealing the tense finish for England.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge, playing her 300th international match, anchored England’s chase with a fluent 56 off 36 balls, sharing a 101-run opening stand with Sophia Dunkley (46).

How the Match Unfolded

India, sent in to bat, lost early wickets but were rescued by a 66-run partnership between Shafali and captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
After Shafali’s dismissal, India’s momentum dipped, but late cameos from Richa Ghosh (24) and Radha Yadav (14*) pushed the total to a competitive 167 for 7.
England’s openers gave the hosts a flying start, but India’s bowlers fought back in the middle overs, with Deepti Sharma and Arundhati Reddy picking up crucial wickets.
The final over saw England needing six runs with seven wickets in hand, but two quick wickets by Reddy set up a nail-biting finish. Ecclestone and Paige Scholfield scrambled a single off the last ball to clinch victory.

Series Takeaways

India won the series 3-2, marking their first-ever bilateral T20I series win over England.
The match highlighted India’s fighting spirit and England’s ability to hold their nerve under pressure.
Both teams now look ahead to the ODI series, with India carrying momentum and England buoyed by a dramatic win.

Sources: BBC Sport, Olympics.com, India Today, ESPNcricinfo, Hindustan Times, Sky Sports