England seal series 2-0 after India suffer stunning batting collapse in 2nd women's T20I
Mumbai, Dec 9: Indian batting looked clueless and out of depth to be dismissed for their third lowest total as England notched up a four-wicket win in the second women's T20I to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here on Saturday.
On a day uncapped Indian cricketers won fat pay-cheques in the Women's Premier League (WPL) auction, Shafali Verma (0), Smriti Mandhana (10), skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (9), Deepti Sharma (0) cut a sorry figure as India were shot out for 80 in 16.2 overs.
In reply, England cantered home in 11.2 overs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The final T20I is slated on Sunday.
In defence of their paltry 80, India had a horror start with a wayward Renuka Singh leaking eight runs in four wide deliveries.
Sophia Dunkley then took the attack on inexperienced Bengal seamer Titas Sidhu with two boundaries as England raced to 17 runs in first two overs.
Renuka returned to take two wickets -- Sophia (9) and Danni Wyatt (0) -- but with no scoreboard pressure Alice Capsey (25; 21b) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (16; 13b) seized the momentum with their counter-attacking display to take them past 50-run mark inside seven overs.
But the duo failed to take the team home as India managed to take two wickets with seven runs needed.
Deepti sharma took two in as many deliveries -- Amy Jones and Freya Kemp -- but it didn't matter as Sophie Ecclestone (9) clinched the series with a four.
Their match aggregate of 162 runs was also the lowest involving the two teams.
For India, Jemimah Rodrigues was the lone bright spot with a 33-ball 30, and one of the two batters to get into double digit scores, in a bizarre display by the Indian batters.
That all their top-four batters got out LBW showed their lack of application on a batting-friendly wicket at the Wankhede stadium.
This was India's third lowest total in women's T20I behind 62 (vs Australia, 2011) and 70 (vs South Africa, 2019).
Batting at No 3, Jemimah saw wickets falling around her as she had no option but to accelerate.
She looked in fine touch, hitting back-to-back boundaries with some crisp sweep shots but only to be dismissed in the same over with Sarah Glenn trapping her LBW.
It was a clinical display by England as all their six bowlers returned with at least one wicket.
Charlie Dean (4-0-16-2), Lauren Bell (3-0-18-2), Sophie Ecclestone (3.2-0-13-2) and Sarah Glenn (3-1-13-2) bagged two wickets each.
Ecclestone, who took a stunning left-handed return catch to dismiss Richa Ghosh (4), gave the final blow when she pushed one through Saika Ishaque's defence to bring curtains on Indian innings.
This was the third lowest target set by India against England.
Opting to bowl, Heather Knight straightway started off with spin as Charlotte Dean inflicted a double blow in successive overs (2-0-4-2) to give England a perfect start.
The off-spinner fired a straighter one in and Shafali looked to work it towards leg but completely missed and was trapped in front to be dismissed for a two-ball duck.
Going with a change of ends, Dean this time dismissed Smriti Mandhana (10) LBW after being hit on her back pad.
Harmanpreet looked to attack and paddled away Sciver-Brunt for successive fours but the England seamer had the last laugh and had the Indian skipper plumb with a delivery that jagged back in.
Sophie then pulled off an absolute blinder of a return catch to dismiss Richa Ghosh for four as India found themselves in deep trouble with half of their side back in pavillion for 37.
One-up in the three-match series, England need a win to seal the series.
India lost by 38 runs in the first T20I.
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Sudan civil war: Over 300 killed in two-day attack on displacement camps
Sudan: More than 300 civilians were killed in just two days of intense fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region, the United Nations reported on Monday, as the civil war nears its two-year mark.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the attacks occurred on Friday and Saturday at two displacement camps, Zamzam and Abu Shorouk, in North Darfur and in the region’s capital, El Fasher. The assaults were carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who targeted famine-hit civilians already suffering from severe humanitarian conditions.
Initial reports had placed the death toll at over 100, including 20 children and nine aid workers. However, OCHA later cited local sources estimating more than 300 fatalities, including 10 humanitarian personnel from Relief International who were operating a health centre in Zamzam camp. Due to the dangerous conditions and poor communication infrastructure, these figures have not been independently verified by the Associated Press.
The conflict began on April 15, 2023, when tensions between Sudan’s military and the RSF erupted into widespread violence, starting in the capital Khartoum and spreading across the country. Since then, at least 24,000 deaths have been officially recorded, although activists suggest the real toll is significantly higher. The war has led to the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, with Sudan now the only country experiencing famine.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that the recent RSF offensives followed the military’s regaining of control over Khartoum late last month, a symbolic win for the army. He noted that the El Fasher area, the last major stronghold not under RSF control, remains under siege.
The UN migration agency reported that between 60,000 to 80,000 families have been displaced in the past 48 hours due to these attacks. El Fasher remains overwhelmed, struggling to support the influx of internally displaced people.
Mamadou Dian Balde, the UN refugee agency’s regional director, described the situation as involving “massive violations of human rights.” Nearly 13 million Sudanese have fled their homes, 4 million to other countries, including Libya and Uganda.
The UN’s humanitarian appeal for $1.8 billion to support refugees remains just 10% funded. Balde warned that without increased international aid, migration flows could spread toward southern Africa, the Gulf, and Europe.
The surge in violence comes ahead of an international conference in London on Tuesday marking the war’s second anniversary. Organized by the UK, EU, Germany, and France, the event will see participation from over 20 foreign ministers and major global organizations. The UN Security Council is also scheduled to hold emergency consultations on the Sudan crisis.
Dujarric called on the international community to act in unity toward peace and to halt the deepening of Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe.
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