Indian women's cricket team is on the heels of a magnificent win in the one-off Test against England in Navi Mumbai having taken a huge 478-run lead at the stumps on Day 2 on Friday, December 15. Deepti Sharma was the star of the day for India with a five-wicket haul as England capitulated from 108/3 to 136 all out. Deepti registered her first-ever five-wicket haul and the quickest one in women's Test history as she needed just 5.3 overs to notch up figures of 5/7 as India got a massive 292-run lead.
The day started with Indian batters adding 18 runs to the overnight score of 410. Deepti Sharma became the fourth batter to get out in her 60s for India as the hosts posted a challenging total on the board after winning the toss. England and Sophia Dunkley had to face the wrath of Renuka Singh Thakur again as the pacer got her maiden Test wicket in just her second over.
Pooja Vastrakar trapped English captain Heather Knight LBW to leave the visitors reeling. Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver-Brunt stitched a 51-run stand and were looking really good before a direct throw from Pooja caught the former short. Sciver-Brunt like the T20Is continued her merry run and smashed a half-century.
Danni Wyatt resisted for a bit before Deepti and Sneh Rana ran through the English line-up. They fell like a pack of cards losing 7 wickets for 28 runs.
India surprisingly didn't enforce a follow-on and decided to bat again. Expectedly both Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave a fast start. The duo stitched a quick 50-run stand and when it seemed like they will take India to safer shores, England spinners struck. Sophie Ecclestone first dismissed Mandhana before Charlie Dean got rid of Verma.
Ecclestone not long before also sent Yastika Bhatia back as India were suddenly three wickets down. Jemimah Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur like the first innings stitched another sensible partnership before Dean struck again.
Harmanpreet held one end as India continued to lose wickets to Dean from the other end. England off-spinner currently has four wickets to her name and would want to get a fifer before India declare in the morning session on Day 3 with Harmanpreet looking to smash her maiden Test fifty.
