Mandhana guides India to series-levelling eight-wicket win over England in T20I
Derby (PTI): Opener Smriti Mandhana hit a stroke-filled unbeaten fifty after off-spinner Sneh Rana snarred three wickets to hand India women a comprehensive eight-wicket win over England in the second T20 International and level the series 1-1 here.
England's decision to bat first on Tuesday night backfired as Indian bowlers raised their performance by a notch to reduce the hosts to 54 for five inside 10 overs.
England found the going tough in the initial overs, losing wickets at regular intervals before teenager Freya Kemp (51 not out off 37 balls) and Maia Bouchier (34 off 26) shared 65 runs for the sixth wicket to resurrect their innings.
While the 17-year-old Kemp struck three fours and as many sixes during her rearguard knock, Bouchier decorated her innings with four boundaries.
But once Rana broke the dangerous-looking partnership, taking the wicket of Bouchier stumped by Richa Ghosh in the 18th over, the writing was on the wall for England.
Kemp, though, tried hard her level best and used her long handle to great effect to pick up 23 runs in the remaining 15 balls in the company of Sophie Ecclestone to take England to 142 for six and give their bowlers at least something to defend.
Rana was the wrecker-in-chief for India returning with fine figures of 3 for 24 from her four overs, while Renuka Singh (1/30) and Deepti Sharma (1/21) picked up two wickets at the top.
India began their chase in a fine fashion with Mandhana (79 not out off 53) and Shafali Verma (20) adding 55 runs in the first six overs.
Ecclestone finally got the breakthrough for England when Verma hipped back to the bowler, who dived to her right to complete a fine caught and bowled opportunity.
Dayalan Hemalatha (9) once again disappointed as Freya Davies cleaned her up 16 balls later.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (29 not out off 22) then joined her deputy Mandhana at the crease and the duo played effortlessly, stitching unconquered 69 runs for the third wicket to comple the formalities as India 146 for two in 16.4 overs.
In fact, Mandhana hit three boundaries off Davies in the 17th over -- first smashing throgh backward covers, then creaming through midwicket and then completed the chase with smacking shot over the bowler's head to the long-on boundary.
There were no sixes in the match from the Indian batters but Mandhana found the fence 13 times, while Harmanpreet and Verma struck four boundaries each.
It was a ordinary bowling display from the home team as Ecclestone (1/22) and Davies (1/30) were the only two wicket takers. England had won the first match by nine wickets. The third T20 of the three-match series will be played in Bristol on September 15.
Brief Scores:
England Women:142 for 6 in 20 overs (Freya Kemp 51 not out, Maia Bouchier 34; Sneh Rana 3/24).
India Women: 146 for 2 in 16.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 79 not out, Harmanpreet Kaur 29 not out; Sophie Ecclestone 1/22).
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Ex-Army officer assaulted, robbed at gunpoint by woman he met through matrimonial website
Mathura(UP), Apr 5 (PTI): A retired Army colonel from Haryana has filed a police complaint here, alleging that he was held hostage, assaulted, looted and forced to participate in an "obscene video" at gunpoint with a woman he met through a matrimonial website, police said on Saturday.
The woman from Mathura, who was allegedly in on the plan to rob him, was working with other accomplices, the ex-armyman said in his complaint filed on Thursday.
According to Barsana Station House Officer (SHO) Raj Kamal Singh, Colonel Rajneesh Soni (retired), a resident of Gurugram, reported that he was contacted by a woman from Barsana on a matrimonial website in January. The woman allegedly agreed to marry him, and they began communicating.
The woman allegedly persuaded the colonel to visit Barsana on January 25, requesting that he visit the Radharani temple. When he arrived, she arranged for his stay at a guest house and took him on a tour of the area, including a visit to the temple, the complainant said.
After returning to the guest house, the woman and her accomplices allegedly told the colonel that her brother had been involved in an accident and they needed to leave immediately. They then led him to a waiting car.
"Once outside the town limits, the colonel alleges that he was attacked by the occupants of the car. They seized his phone, physically assaulted him, and forced him to contact relatives and friends to transfer money," the SHO said.
"He was then taken back to the guest house, where he was allegedly forced to participate in obscene videos and photographs at gunpoint. He was threatened that the videos would be made public if he reported the incident," the officer said.
The colonel has alleged that his purse, bag, gold chain, debit card and Rs. 12,000 in cash were stolen from the guest house.
After an unsuccessful attempt at locating the perpetrators himself, the colonel finally reported the incident to the Barsana police two days ago, he said.
"A case has been registered under relevant sections of the BNS and all facts are being investigated. Further action will be taken as per facts found in the investigation," the SHO said.
