ICC Women’s World Cup 2017: India vs England, 5 things that India did right to beat the hosts

#1 Smriti Mandhana’s belligerence at the top

Smriti Mandhana took England to the sword

Smriti Mandhana, the 20-year-old batsman, got herself injured during the Women’s Big Bash League last year and has since struggled. However, she was brought into the Indian Women’s team for the World Cup and it has yielded rich dividends for them.

Against an experienced English attack, Mandhana set the tournament alight with a blistering knock of 90 runs from 72 balls that included 11 fours and a couple of monstrous sixes. She was severe on the bowlers and went hammer and tongs from the very first over.

She took Katherine Brunt to the cleaners, smashing her to all parts of the ground. She was unlucky not to reach her second ODI ton as she mistimed a pull shot straight into the hands of Danielle Hazell at short mid-wicket, providing England with their first breakthrough.