It was all Jemimah Rodrigues' and Veda Krishnamurthy's show
England all-rounder Nat Sciver smashed a record-equalling half century before the bowlers put the struggling Indian batters under pressure to ensure an 18 run-win for the hosts via Duckworth-Lewis method in the rain-curtailed first T20I in Northampton.
Mithali Raj's Velocity overcame some anxious moments late in the innings before registering a three-wicket victory over Trailblazers to keep their hopes alive in the inaugural Women's T20 Challenge, in Jaipur, on Wednesday.
The Supernovas, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, have been invincible so far winning all the previous two editions.
The T20 Challenge, to be played during the IPL play-offs, will begin with last year's finalist Supernovas taking on Velocity in the opening game.
India needed just three runs from the final over but had only themselves to blame for the loss. With veteran Mithali Raj well set at the crease on 30 off 32 balls, the ODI skipper was left stranded at the other end and didn't get an opportunity to face a single delivery in the final over that was bowled by Kate Cross (2/18).
The Indian women's cricket team suffered a five-wicket defeat to England in the second T20 International, surrendering the series with a sixth straight loss in the shortest format.
India's unpredictable middle-order has repeatedly squandered good starts at the women's T20 World cup. In all the three matches, the bowling unit bailed the side out.
On a high after two easy victories on the trot, including one against defending champions Australia, India will aim to inch closer to a semi-final berth when it takes on New Zealand in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, in Melbourne, on Thursday.
Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu smashed a quick-fire half-century as two-time champions Supernovas reached their third successive final with a narrow two-run win over Trailblazers in a last-ball finish at the Women's T20 Challenge, in Sharjah, on Saturday.
Bisht returned with impressive figures of four for 25 to help Indian women defend a modest a 203-run target
Leg-spinner Poonam Yadav's magical spell helped India beat Australia by 17 runs in the tournament opener on Friday but the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side can't afford to take Bangladesh lightly as their eastern neighbours had beaten them twice in the 2018 T20 Asia Cup.
Veteran Mithali Raj's retirement from the T20 format paved the way for the induction of youngsters such as 15-year-old rookie Shafali Verma in the Indian women's team for the upcoming home T20 Internationals against South Africa.
The Indians are in red-hot form, but history favours England, who have won all the five WT20 matches played between the two sides, when they meet in the semi-finals of the ICC women's World Cup on Thursday.
Team India needs to ensure that the frequent middle-order collapses are not repeated in the showpiece event.
Indian women's team was dealt a big blow after vice-captain and premier batswoman Harmanpreet Kaur was ruled out of the upcoming limited overs series against England with an ankle injury.
'I and all the overseas players have been really impressed with the standard of the domestic players'
All that's transpired on and off the cricket pitch on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Molineux, who plays for Melbourne Renegades in the Women's Big Bash League, has requested for a break and will not be travelling with the Renegades squad to Ballarat for their match against Melbourne Stars on Saturday.
Mandhana became the number one ODI batter in the ICC Women's Rankings last month following her exemplary run of form.
Meg Lanning's Australia, long the benchmark in women's cricket, will bid for a record-extending fifth T20 World Cup title after a rocky ride to their sixth final. Harmanpreet Kaur-captained India arrive at the MCG undefeated and without having bowled a ball in the rained-out semi-final against England.
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