Skipper’s ton, rookie Gaud’s 6-wicket haul win series for India Women

CHESTER-LE-STREET (DURHAM): Capping off a memorable tour, the India Women clinched the ODI series against England 2-1 after winning the five-match T20I series 3-2, thanks to captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s majestic century and young seamer Kranti Goud’s six- wicket haul.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur once again displayed penchant for saving her best for crunch games with a splendid 84-ball 102. Jemimah Rodrigues scored a brisk fifty, and Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol – both scored 45 joined the party, taking the team to a challenging 318 for five.

The 36-year-old Indian skipper didn’t score too many in the first two games but when it mattered most, she oozed class en route to her seventh ton in the fifty-over format. The match was also special as she completed 4000 runs in WODIs in her 149th game. In the second half, seamer Kranti Goud, playing only her fourth WODI, starred with 6/52, while left-arm spinner Shree Charani chipped in with 2/68 to restrict England Women’s spirited challenge to 305 in 49.5 overs and win the third women’s ODI by 13 runs and clinch the series 2-1.