Deepti Sharma's Brave Batting Gave India A Thrilling Victory In The First ODI
Deepti Sharma's magnificent unbeaten half-century, featuring the match's sole maximum, powered India Women to a comfortable four-wicket victory over England Women in the opening ODI at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
Southampton, 17th July 2025 – In a captivating start to the India Women's tour of England, the visiting side clinched a hard-fought four-wicket victory over the hosts in the 1st One-Day International at The Rose Bowl, Southampton. The star of the show was undoubtedly India's all-rounder Deepti Sharma, whose composed and unbeaten 62 guided her team across the finish line with 10 balls to spare.
England Women, after winning the toss and electing to bat, posted a respectable total of 258 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs. Their innings was anchored by a fantastic 83 from Sophia Dunkley and a steady 53 from Davidson Richards, who forged a crucial partnership to rebuild after early jitters. India's bowling attack, led by the impressive Kranti Goud (2/55) and Sneh Rana (2/31), ensured England couldn't truly run away with the game. Goud struck early, removing the dangerous Beaumont and Amy Jones, while Rana chipped in with key wickets, including that of England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.
Chasing 259, India's pursuit began steadily with Pratika Rawal (36) and Smriti Mandhana (28) providing a decent platform. However, a middle-order wobble saw Harmanpreet Kaur and Harleen Deol depart cheaply, leaving India at 124 for 4. This set the stage for a compelling partnership(90 off 86) between Jemimah Rodrigues (48) and Deepti Sharma. Rodrigues played a fluent knock, keeping the scoreboard ticking, before Deepti took charge.
With nerves building and the run rate climbing, Deepti Sharma unleashed a powerful display of calculated aggression. Her innings, adorned with three fours and the only six of the entire match, was a masterclass in chase management. She found a reliable partner in Amanjot Kaur (20* off 14 balls) towards the end, who played a vital cameo, hitting crucial boundaries to ease the pressure. The duo meticulously chipped away at the target, ensuring India reached 262 for 6 in 48.2 overs, leaving the English bowlers visibly frustrated.
The win not only gives India a vital 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series but also showcases their resilience and depth in the batting lineup. Deepti Sharma's all-round contribution, particularly her match-winning unbeaten knock, earned her deserved praise and set a thrilling tone for the remainder of the series.
Player of the match-Deepti Sharma
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2nd ODI
INDW VS ENGW
Lord's
19 July
3.30 PM
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