Xtra Time Web Desk: Mithali Raj played a captain’s knock (75* from 86 balls) as India women edged out England women by 4 wickets in the tensed third ODI with three balls to spare at Worcestershire on Saturday. The Indian captain also became the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket as she overtook former England captain Charlotte Edwards’ total of 10,273 runs across all formats. Raj drove Katherine Brunt through the covers for the decisive boundary that earned India two points and maintained their hopes of winning the multi-format series ahead of the three T20I games which begin on Friday
Put into bat England posted 219, with Nat Sciver top-scoring with 49 runs. Raj’s decision to bowl after winning the toss was quickly vindicated when Tammy Beaumont fell for a duck, lbw playing across the line to Shikha Pandey.
Lauren Winfield-Hill and England captain Heather Knight (46) built a partnership of 67 from 90 deliveries. Sneh Rana separated the pair with her fourth ball, tempting Winfield-Hill (36) to sweep and pick out Pandey on the boundary. Nat Sciver scored a brisk 49 off 59 balls before getting out to a brilliant effort from Smriti Mandhana at long on. Late strike from Sophia Dunkley (28 from 35 balls) and Kate Cross (15) saw England going past the 200 runs mark. Deepti Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 3-47).
Indian openers Smriti Mandhana (49 off 57 balls) and Shafali Verma (19) gave a solid start, adding 49 runs for first wicket. Kate Cross gave England the breakthrough as forced Shafali to miscue to cover and Sophie Ecclestone struck soon afterwards as Jemimah Rodrigues chopped on.
Mandhana looked well set for a half century before getting out leg before to Sarah Glenn. Harmanpreet Kaur (16) and Mithali Raj repaired the damage with a steady 50 runs partnership before kaur became Knight’s 50th ODI victim, leg before.
However, Raj looked focused as she completed her half century. Sneh Rana contributing a vital 24 from 22 balls before she fell to Ecclestone (2-36) in the penultimate over but the Indian captain guided her team home with four balls to spare.