India were forced to follow on after being dismissed for 231 in the first innings, in the opening session on Day 3, of the one-off women's Test against England in Bristol, on Friday.
Relentless accuracy by the bowlers, led by Radha Yadav, drove India to a comfortable 59-run victory over New Zealand in the first women's ODI in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Taking a dig at the controversial run-out decisions that played a big role in her team's last-ball, two-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians coach Charlotte Edwards said it was "really hard" to comprehend such calls that affect the eventual outcome of the match.
Shafali Verma blasted 60 runs off 30 balls after left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad's fine bowling to power India to a consolation nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the third and final match of the women's series, in Lucknow, on Tuesday.
New Zealand sprung a fantastic turnaround to defeat India by three wickets
Verma, who had regained the top position last week, garnered 26 rating points for her knock in the final
India, having secured two convincing victories, will be looking to complete a clean sweep of the women's ODI series against Ireland in the third and final match. The Indian team is brimming with confidence after a series of impressive batting performances, particularly from Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana, who have formed a formidable opening partnership. Despite their strong batting, India's bowling has shown some vulnerabilities, allowing Ireland to score a respectable 254/7 in the previous match. The absence of key players like Shafali Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur has given opportunities for emerging players to shine. The series has highlighted the impressive performance of Pratika Rawal, who has made the most of her chances. The Irish team has been led by the strong performances of Gaby Lewis, Christina Coulter-Reilly, and Leah Paul, but their fielding has been a concern. The match is scheduled to begin at 11 am in Rajkot.
Clobbered by Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana recently, Australian pacer Megan Schutt says she hates playing against India and doesn't want to bowl at the marauding duo during powerplay when the two teams clash in the Women's T20 World Cup final, in Sydney on Sunday. Schutt, who took a crucial 2/17 in Australia's five-run win over South Africa in the rain-hit semi-final on Thursday, has still not recovered from the drubbing she got at the hands of Verma in the tournament-opener.
The early overs used to be all about Smriti Mandhana but India's star opener says she feels relieved of pressure thanks to the emergence of teenage prodigy Shafali Verma. There's been no hesitation from Verma in making a name for herself on the global stage, the 16-year-old having scored 68 runs across two games, including five sixes and seven fours, at an impressive strike rate of 212.
India put up a dismal show with the bat as Australia stamped their superiority over the visitors with a five-wicket win in the first Women's ODI in Brisbane on Thursday.
Images from ICC women's T20 World Cup match between India and Bangladesh, in Perth, on Monday.
Smriti Mandhana extended her purple patch with a classy knock before pacer Renuka Thakur excelled with the new ball
The Indian women's cricket team arrived in Colombo on Tuesday for the Asia Cup T20 beginning in Dambulla on July 19.
Images from the women's T20 World Cup match between India and New Zealand in Melbourne, on Thursday.
"I really felt for Shafali Verma at the end, it was tough seeing her in tears but she should be very proud of the way she's performed in Australia," Brett Lee wrote in his column for the ICC.
India along with New Zealand and Pakistan are in contention for the last remaining semi-final spot from Group A.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur wants her side to play fearless cricket to claim an eighth consecutive women's Asia Cup title.
Mandhana said each tournament since the last few months has been a step towards preparation for the World T20 scheduled to be held in Bangladesh later this year.
Harmanpreet Kaur was on Thursday retained as India captain for the three Women's ODIs against New Zealand while the selectors also picked four uncapped players for the series starting October 24.
Skipper Sophie Devine was complemented well by her bowlers as a dominant New Zealand handed India a 58-run defeat in the Women's T20 World Cup in Dubai on Friday
Smriti Mandhana, who has 738 rating points, is the top-ranked Indian batter in the 50-over format while skipper Harmanpreet Kaur retained her ninth position.
Pakistan were bundled out for a below-par 108 after opting to bat first. India then chased down the target with as many as 35 balls to spare.
Delhi Capitals secured direct qualification into the final of the WPL 2024 with a seven-wicket hammering of Gujarat Giants.
Shafali Verma (744 points) had grabbed the top spot at the end of the league stage of the just-concluded women's T20 World Cup in Australia which the hosts won for an unprecedented fifth time.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur backed the Indian women's team to regain confidence in home conditions during the three-match T20I series against the West Indies.
The 15-year-old Shafali, who was dismissed for a four-ball duck on her debut in the opening match, laid the foundation for a good total with a 33-ball innings, while Jemimah Rodrigues (33) provided the stablity, scoring a 22-ball 33.
Shafali Verma has leapfrogged Australia's Beth Mooney with scores of 23 and 47.
IMAGES from the WPL match played between Delhi Capitals Women and UP Warriorz in Bengaluru on Monday.
Harmanpreet Kaur says Shafali Verma struggled to bounce back from dropping Alyssa Healy but refused to blame the teenager for defeat in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup final, in Melbourne, on Sunday. India, playing in their first Women's T20 World Cup final, had no answer to Alyssa Healy (75) and Beth Mooney (78 not out) before folding to 99 all out at the hands of seamer Megan Schutt and spinner Jess Jonassen.
IMAGES from the Women's T20 World Cup match between India and Australia in Sharjah on Sunday
Smriti Mandhana showered praise on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and said that the 35-year-old is fierce and always gives her best.
Smriti Mandhana finally played a knock befitting her calibre as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the deciding game to seal the three-match Women's ODI series 2-1 in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
Skipper Sophie Devine led from the front with a calculative half-century and lifted New Zealand to a challenging 259 for nine after India's spirited comeback in the middle overs of the second women's ODI in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
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.
With her big-hitting prowess, a rarity in women's cricket, 16-year-old Shafali Verma was bound to succeed at the highest level. However, a lot of improvement is needed for her to sustain the sensational six-month run she has enjoyed since making her India debut, feel her coach Ashwani Kumar and former India wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra, both of whom have tracked her nascent career closely.
IMAGES from the WPL final between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday
India captain Rohit Sharma was named the 'Men's International Cricketer of the Year', while former head coach Rahul Dravid was conferred with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards 2023-24 here on Wednesday.
India batsman Shafali Verma, who had to trim her hair and fight for a chance to play cricket, questioned the discrimination against girls and batted for an equal chance for females in all fields.
India failed miserably in all departments of the game as they suffered a comprehensive 38-run defeat against England in the first T20I of the three match series in Mumbai on Wednesday.
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.
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