On Friday, opener Smriti Mandhana conjured up a crucial 86-run knock as Indian women pulled off a thrilling one-wicket win over England women in the opening ODI. Mandhana cracked five fours and four sixes in her inning to anchor India's run chase after England set the hosts a modest 208-run for a 1-0 lead Mandhana starred in crucial partnerships with Harmanpreet Kaur (21) and Deepti Sharma (24) as India overhauled the target with five balls to spare.

Earlier, the Indian bowlers did a fantastic job to restrict England to 207 in 49.3 overs. Chasing 208 for victory in the first game of a three-match series yesterday, India looked well on their way after the opener Smriti Mandhana hit 86, but Sophie Ecclestone, England’s 18-year-old left-arm spinner, took four wickets.

It took 18 runs partnership for the last-wicket stand for India, between Ekta Bisht and Poonam Yadav to help the World Cup runners-up beat World Champions England in a thrilling finish. Before their performance with the bat, the two India bowlers also took seven wickets to dismiss England for 207. A collapse, one reminiscent of their failed run-chase in the World Cup final at Lord's, had reduced India from 166 for 3 to 190 for 9, but with 18 needed off the last three overs, Poonam joined Bisht at the crease and scored four runs in the 48th over.

A front foot no-ball off the first delivery of the 49th over from stand-in captain Anya Shrubsole conceded five as Bisht found the backward-point boundary. Three nervy singles and another four, from Poonam, made it 12 runs off the over. Shrubsole hung her head, clutching her knee in dismay, and India needed two to win off six balls.