India clinched an historic T20 series victory over England with a game to spare courtesy of a comfortable six-wicket win at Old Trafford.
After restricting the home side to 126-7 in the fourth T20, the tourists had taken a sizeable chunk out of their target by the end of the powerplay.
Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma relentlessly took the attack to the England bowlers in a stand of 56 and while the run-rate slowed after they departed, India remained in control.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues soaked up the pressure for a brief spell but, once settled, they kicked for home.
After Harmanpreet was dismissed, it was left to Rodrigues to hit the winning runs in the 17th over and secure India’s first women’s T20 series win in England.
Earlier, England had stuttered throughout their innings, going nine overs without a boundary from the end of the 10th over, and with a top score of 22 from Sophia Dunkley they were never likely to post a competitive total.
Spin again proved their downfall with two wickets apiece for left-armers Radha Yadav and Shree Charani.
With India holding an unassailable 3-1 lead going into the fifth T20 at Edgbaston on Saturday, Charlotte Edwards’ side will already be looking at ways to better combat the spinners in the one-day international series that follows.
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