With the conclusion of the fourth match in the five-match T20I series against England, 9 July now holds a special place in Indian women’s cricket. On this date in 1999, India recorded their first-ever ODI series victory on English soil. Exactly 26 years later, on 9 July 2025, the team clinched their maiden T20I series win in England, securing a 3-1 lead with one game to spare. These twin milestones, achieved on the same date, highlight the side’s growing strength, resilience, and ability to excel in challenging overseas conditions.
The 1999 ODI Series: A Ground-Breaking Triumph
In the summer of 1999, the Indian women’s team, captained by Chanderkanta Kaul, toured England for a three-match ODI series. Women’s cricket was still gaining traction globally, and India were underdogs against a strong home side. Yet they defied expectations, winning the series 2-1 and sealing their first ODI success in England.
1st ODI, Manchester
England were restricted to 128 for 8 in 50 overs. Purnima Rau and Rupanjali Shastri took two wickets each, with Deepa Marathe adding one. Chasing a modest total, India slipped to 122 for 9, but an unbeaten stand from Renu Margrate and Neetu David guided them to a tense victory.
2nd ODI, Northampton – 9 July 1999
India posted 213, thanks to Anjum Chopra’s century and Anju Jain’s fifty. England skipper Clare Connor claimed a five-wicket haul, including a hat-trick, but England could muster only 127 in reply. Marathe, Shastri, and Kalyani Dhokarikar picked up two wickets apiece as India sealed an 86-run win and an unassailable series lead.
3rd ODI
England avoided a clean sweep when captain Karen Smithies struck 110 to chase down 221, yet India’s 2-1 series victory remained a historic breakthrough.
The 2025 T20I Series: History Repeats Itself
Fast-forward to 2025. Under Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership, India mirrored their 1999 feat by securing a first-ever T20I series win in England — again on 9 July. In the fourth T20I at Old Trafford, India chased down the target to win by six wickets, taking an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. The symmetry of dates — twin landmark wins exactly 26 years apart — added a poetic layer to the achievement, widely celebrated by fans and media alike.
A Legacy of Progress
From Chanderkanta Kaul’s pioneering squad in 1999 to Harmanpreet Kaur’s modern-day champions, Indian women’s cricket has come a long way. July 9 now symbolises the team’s evolution, underscoring their ability to conquer foreign conditions and script memorable victories on English soil. Two defining moments, separated by a generation yet bound by the same date, stand testament to the enduring spirit and upward trajectory of Indian women’s cricket.
