Heavy rain ended the game early but Knight stood out with both bat and ball. She took an international-best 3-28 with her spin before sharing a 110-run partnership with Charlotte Edwards to all but ensure England’s victory.
The hosts made early inroads after winning the toss. The returning Katherine Brunt bowled with good pace but it was Anya Shrubsole who soon made the first breakthrough, drawing Thirush Kamini into a loose drive and having her caught behind by Sarah Taylor.
India were struggling at 18 for two when Karu Jain fell to a good low catch by Knight at first slip, before Smriti Mandhana and Mithali Raj helped rebuild after a rain delay.
Raj was aggressive, striking Jenny Gunn over long-on before driving Danni Hazell back over her head for four. The two put on 50 in 115 balls before Raj was caught behind off Gunn for 34.
Mandhana made her second consecutive ODI half-century but England were rewarded for some tight bowling when Harmanpreet Kaur swept a leg-side Knight delivery to Edwards.
India played aggressively in the powerplay, taking 31 from four overs, before Mandhana was run out at the non-striker’s end for a well-constructed 74.
Heather Knight moves towards her eventual score of 53, having taken three wickets with her spin earlier in the day at ScarboroughThe tourists struggled in the final overs, with Jhulan Goswami run out before Vellaswamy Vanitha was stumped for a quick 27.
Niranjana Nagarajan was then bowled by Knight, before Ekta Bisht and Shikha Pandey played their shots to finish the India innings on 193 for eight from 47 overs.
England, chasing 195 to win after a D/L recalculation, began positively. Edwards and Knight hit 19 off the first two overs, the former dealing almost exclusively in boundaries before the rain arrived.
With the target again reduced, England played more cautiously before Edwards grabbed the initiative. She brought up her half-century from just 56 balls, including nine boundaries, before her attacking innings was ended on 57 as she was bowled by Bisht.
Knight’s own half-century came from 63 balls but she fell to a good catch in the deep by Vanitha as she tried to slog-sweep Pandey for six.
Lauren Winfield played some eye-catching drives but miscued Goswami to mid-on before play was abandoned with Taylor and Lydia Greenway not out.
The game was streamed live on the ECB’s YouTube Channel, just as Saturday’s next match will be.
