India clinched their first-ever T20I series win on English soil by defeating England 3-2 in the five-match series. Although the Women in Blue fell short in a last-ball thriller in the fifth and final match, their earlier performances had already secured the historic series victory.
Following the Indian women’s team’s historic T20I series victory in England, head coach Amol Muzumdar credited the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for playing a key role in the players’ development and progress on the international stage.
“WPL has been an integral part of the progress of the players. There’s no doubt about it. But there are other tournaments as well in India, which we really have a good look at. There are so many domestic players playing,” said head coach Amol Muzumdar while addressing the press after the fifth T20I.
He further added, “WPL is just a part of the initiative of the BCCI. So, I think it’s been a happy hunting ground for us, the WPL. But at the same time, there are other tournaments that also take the importance.”
Young left-arm spinner Shree Charani made a memorable debut for India, playing a crucial role in the team’s series victory. She was named Player of the Series after claiming 10 wickets across the five T20Is.
Talking about the 20-year-old spinner, head coach Amol Muzumdar said, “I guess, you know, from WPL we identified her, and then I think her progress has been fantastic. She’s been phenomenal in this series. We had a good look at her in the Sri Lanka series, where we played a tri-series against South Africa and Sri Lanka. So, I think she’s been the find. We were searching for a left-arm spinner, and she’s fitted the bill perfectly.”
A standout feature of India’s series win was the marked improvement in their fielding and bowling, something that fielding coach Munish Bali also highlighted. For a long time, the team had struggled with inconsistency in ground fielding and, more crucially, in catching. However, during the five T20Is in England, Harmanpreet Kaur led India to deliver a consistently sharp performance in the field, arguably outshining the hosts in this department. Head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged that this noticeable improvement played a crucial role in determining the outcome of the series.
“I think the key takeaways were our bowling. There’s no doubt about it. We had a game plan before we set off from the Indian shores. We had a good camp, and we focused quite a bit on our bowling and fielding, which showed in this series. I think the biggest takeaways without a doubt have been our bowling and our fielding,” stated the head coach.
He further praised Radha Yadav’s catch in the final T20I to dismiss Amy Jones off the bowling of Arundhati Reddy. He said, “It was one of the best catches I have seen. She (Radha) has been phenomenal and puts a lot of hard work behind the scenes, as far as fielding is concerned. She has got a knack of picking up these (blinder) catches.”
After the final match concluded, Radha Yadav was presented with the much-anticipated “Fielder of the Series” medal by BCCI Honorary Secretary, Mr. Devajit Saikia, in recognition of her outstanding fielding performances throughout the series. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, who contributed with 4 catches, 2 stumpings, and a run-out, and Arundhati Reddy, who took 5 catches during the series, were the other two nominees for the “Fielder of the Series” medal.
When asked about his emotions following the fifth and final T20I, he mentioned, “To be honest, there are mixed emotions. At the halfway mark, we talked of making a match out of it and fighting till the last ball. So, they (Team India) responded really well, and having come this close and having had the ball hit the stumps, we could have had a super over.”
However, he expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the series and was proud of the team at the conclusion of the historic series win. With the T20 World Cup scheduled to take place in England in less than a year, Muzumdar believes the tour has provided his team with valuable preparation ahead of the global tournament.
“So, we’ve picked the squad accordingly, and we’ve started on a good note, I guess. Winning the T20 series here against England, that too the first time ever. So, it’s a pleasing result. The preparation has already started,” the head coach said.
On the team’s depth in the line-up, the head coach said, “I think there’s a lot of depth in this Indian line-up, a good headache to have as a coaching staff.”
One of the biggest selection decisions facing Muzumdar is choosing Smriti Mandhana’s opening partner. Pratika Rawal currently leads the pack in the ODI format, having impressed since her debut against the West Indies last December. In 11 ODIs, she boasts an outstanding average of 63.80, including five centuries.
He mentioned, “Pratika Rawal, she was draughted in the month of December, so it’s almost six months, but she has left a big mark in her initial stage in her international career.”
Meanwhile, Shafali Verma made a strong return to the T20I side during the England tour after being dropped from the national team. She scored 176 runs at an average of 35.20, with an explosive strike rate of 158.55. Although Shafali was not included in the ODI squad for the England series, Muzumdar confirmed that she remains in consideration for the ODI format as well.
“And Shafali has been a terrific player. There’s no doubt about it that she will be in the mix. She will be amongst the core group of India. There’s no doubt in my mind about it. But at the moment, Pratika has joined the squad, probably four or five days prior to the ODI. The depth is stronger; it’s getting stronger,” concluded the head coach.
With the T20I series concluded, India and England will now face off in a three-match One-Day International series starting on July 16, 2025. The opening match will take place at The Rose Bowl in Southampton, followed by the second ODI at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. The series will wrap up with the final match at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street.
