Jemimah Rodrigues of India hits out during the 1st Women's T20I match against England. She scored an impressive 40-ball 69. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

India took a 1-0 lead after beating England comfortably by 38 runs in the first of a three-match T20I series at the County Cricket Ground in Chelmsford on Thursday.

Half-centuries from Yastika Bhatia and Jemimah Rodrigues set up a commanding total for the Women in Blue before debutant Nandni Sharma starred with a three-wicket haul to restrict the host to 150 for eight.

India was asked to bat first after England won the toss and the host struck the first blow in the very first over. Lauren Bell removed Smriti Mandhana on the first ball of the innings and sent Shafali Verma five balls later.

AS IT HAPPENED | England vs India 1st women’s T20I Highlights

With the visitor sliding to seven for two after the first over, Yastika and Jemimah steadied the ship and dealt in boundaries. The duo kept the score ticking and swiftly took India to its highest-ever PowerPlay score in the format by putting 73 on the board, a phase which included a 27-run over during Issy Wong’s first over.

Yastika and Jemimah stitched together a marathon 126-run stand for the third wicket before the former was run out for a 40-ball 50. Just two balls later, during the 14th over, Charlie Dean caught Jemimah (69 off 40) off her own bowling.

India’s innings trailed off when Richa Ghosh (4) and Bharti Fulmali (6) failed to get going. The former was sent back when Wong took a difficult catch over at short third, before she clean bowled the latter with a slower one in the next over.

Deepti Sharma’s 22 off 13 helped the Women in Blue regain some momentum but the host was successful in restricting the visitor to a score under the 200-run mark.

Chasing 189, Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey walked out, but the former was sent back by Kranti Gaud for a 10-ball 16. Capsey soon followed after she tried to uppercut a shorter one, only to edge it to Richa behind the stumps off Kranti.

Similar to the Yastika-Jemimah duo, England’s chase was brought back on track through a 64-run stand between Amy Jones and Heather Knight. But the asking rate was rising and boundaries had started to dry up for a couple of overs. Knight (22 off 24) went for a big shot in the 14th over off N. Shree Charani and found Jemimah at deep mid-wicket.

With 74 needed off 30 balls, it was time to go for the big shots. Jones (67 of 48) did just that in the 16th over, off Nandni, only to find Shafali in deep mid-wicket. Debutant Nandni (3/34) picked her second of the night on the next ball after she forced Dani Gibson to smack a slower ball. But the shot once again found a taker in Shafali.

England didn’t have any other batter to threaten India’s chances as the visitor cantered to a comfortable victory ahead of the second T20I set to be held on May 30 in Bristol.

Published on May 29, 2026