England notch thrilling win over India before T20 World Cup
Amy Jones and Nat Sciver-Brunt led England to five-run win over India in their final T20 World Cup warm-up fixture.
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Hosts England wound down their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 preparations with a thrilling five-run win over India in their final warm-up game in Cardiff on Wednesday.
Half-centuries from Amy Jones and Nat Sciver-Brunt lifted England to 171/6 in their 20 overs. Despite Richa Ghosh’s late heroics, India were dismissed for 166 in 19.5 overs.
India won the toss and elected to field first in overcast conditions. Though England lost an early wicket, Jones and Sciver-Brunt steadied the innings with a 70-run partnership. Playing with caution and composure, they kept the scoreboard ticking without taking too many risks.
England overcome valiant India | Match Highlights | Women's T20WC 2026 warm-ups
England overcame the Indian fight by five runs.
Opener Jones struck eight fours during her innings of 64. Sciver-Brunt, the seasoned star who will be key to England’s fortunes at the home World Cup, anchored the innings with an unbeaten 57 off 45 balls.
The breakthrough was provided by off-spinner Shafali Verma, who is proving her all-round chops. Verma dismissed Jones with a delivery that stayed low and skidded onto the stumps.
Even though the England innings was interrupted by rain in the 15th over, Sciver-Brunt made sure they did not lose momentum. Danielle Gibson provided the acceleration right at the end, scoring 30 from 12, as England picked 19 in the last over.
Late fireworks from Gibson | Women's T20WC 2026 warm-ups
Danielle Gibson provided the late flourish for England against India at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up.
Shreyanka Patil followed up her four-wicket haul against West Indies with 2/29 against England. Meanwhile, Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sree Charani and Radha Yadav claimed one wicket each.
Chasing a healthy total, India had a wobbly start as they lost both the openers inside the first three overs. While Smriti Mandhana fell to a brilliant diving catch from Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Verma swung at a Issy Wong delivery only to see it crash into the stumps.
All of India’s middle-order batters got off to a start but could not capitalise on it. It was Ghosh’s gritty knock that kept India in the game. She came into bat after India lost captain Harmanpreet Kaur and looked in a spot of bother at 63/4. However, the wicket-keeper batter rallied with the lower order, scoring 68 off 36, to take India within touching distance.
Ghosh brought up her half-century with a heave over deep square leg fence and followed it up with a four. With India requiring 17 runs in the last over, Ghosh turned up the pressure, hitting a boundary and then dancing down the track for another big one.
She tried to skip down the pitch on the next ball off Linsey Smith as well but was beaten in the air, and Alice Capsey completed the stumping.
Richa Ghosh keeps the fight on | Women's T20WC 2026 warm-ups
Richa Ghosh brings up a half-century in style as India take the chase deep against England at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up.
With that England had stomped out the last ember of hope for India. Renuka Singh followed her back into the pavilion on the very next ball as India folded for 166.
Smith was the most successful English bowler with 3/42, while Charlie Dean, Corteen-Coleman and Gibson all claimed two wickets.
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 starts on June 12, with England taking on Sri Lanka in the tournament opener. India will begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 14.