Anya Shrubsole and Jenny Gunn starred with the ball as England got their first win of the Women’s World Twenty20 on the board against India.
The 2009 winners headed into the match in Sylhet looking to bounce back from an opening defeat to West Indies and they did just that, restricting India to 95 for nine after losing the toss.
Pace bowler Shurbsole was the pick of the attack thanks to remarkable figures of 3-6 from her four overs, while Gunn weighed in with 3-15, as India captain Mithali Raj fought an admirable lone hand for her side by scoring 57.
England Anya Shrubsole maintained her impressive form with superb figures of 3-6 before her team-mates secured a five-wicket triumph over IndiaEngland Anya Shrubsole maintained her impressive form with superb figures of 3-6 before her team-mates secured a five-wicket triumph over India
Solid contributions from Sarah Taylor and Lydia Greenway meant the run chase was never really in doubt and it was left to Gunn to secure a five-wicket triumph with 11 balls to spare.
Following a sedate opening, quite out of keeping with those expected in the shortest format, England made the breakthrough during the third over of India’s innings – Greenway producing some typically excellent work in the field to catch Smriti Mandhana running backwards at point and give Shrubsole her first victim.
Left-arm spinner Rebecca Grundy, making her second international appearance, produced a probing line in her first over and was rewarded during the next set of six – bowling Latika Kumari to leave India 17 for two in the sixth.
Shikha Pandey was Gunn’s first scalp as Nat Sciver held onto a steepler under the floodlights and Greenway ran out wicketkeeper Karu Jain from backward point to continue India’s struggles.
Gunn held onto a return catch to dismiss Harmanpreet Kaur, like Jain, without scoring and 31 for five before halfway stage represented a dire scenario for the batting side.
Raj finally found a willing ally in Sravanthi Naidu, who faced 27 balls for 11. It allowed the skipper to play her shots before holing out to Tammy Beaumont on the cover boundary off Georgia Elwiss.
England captain Charlotte Edwards still had overs up her sleeve from Shrubsole and Gunn and the duo added to their wicket tally with ruthless precision during the closing overs, ensuring none of the Indian tail would join Raj or Naidu in double figures.
A fortuitous boundary through square leg and a delightful whip to the midwicket fence during the first over of the reply from Taylor made England’s intentions abundantly clear.
The momentum was duly checked as Edwards and Beaumont – the latter without scoring - fell to mid-on, with Soniya Dabir the beneficiary on both occasions.
Taylor had 28 when she hit a return catch to Poonam Yadav but Greenway, following a sketchy start, had found her feet with an array of sweeps and paddles.
Nat Sciver helped bring England to the brink of victory before a direct hit found her shy of her ground before Greenway was caught behind sweeping at Jhulan Goswami for 26.
Gunn joined Heather Knight in the middle and thumped a one-bounce four through midwicket to end matters.
