Chennai: The last time these two sides met in a bilateral setting, India Women created history by claiming their first-ever T20I series win against England. A few months later, in November, India went on to secure their maiden ODI World Cup title, sealing a landmark period of success. Now, the rivalry is set for another chapter as the teams prepare to lock horns in a three-match T20I series beginning on Thursday in Chelmsford, serving as a key warm-up ahead of the T20 World Cup scheduled across England later this year.
With India having firmly established themselves as a formidable presence in women’s cricket, England opener Sophia Dunkley believes the standards being set in the Indian camp are comparable to those of established giants like Australia. England, who last lifted the T20 World Cup back in 2009, arrive at this series buoyed by momentum, having sealed a commanding 2-1 win over New Zealand in their most recent outing.
Dunkley, who initially made her mark in the middle order before cementing her role at the top of the batting line-up, sees this contest against India as exactly the kind of preparation that will sharpen the team’s execution for the World Cup. In her view, the series will test their skills under pressure, which is precisely what teams need as they fine-tune plans for a major tournament.
“The series against India is going to put our skills under a lot of pressure, which is perfect prep ahead of the mega event. We haven’t been together in this particular T20 line-up for a long time, so it’s about finding the right combinations and becoming really familiar with those ahead of the WC.”
