Yastika Bhatia scored a memorable century as India declared their second innings at 284 for 6, setting England a daunting target of 457 runs to win the one-off women's Test at Lord's on Sunday.
Bhatia's Gritty Knock
The left-handed batter remained unbeaten on 100 off 197 balls, laced with 14 boundaries. Her innings was the cornerstone of India's second-innings total, which gave the visitors a commanding lead after they had taken a 172-run first-innings advantage.
Bhatia shared a crucial 98-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Deepti Sharma, who made a solid 45 off 88 balls. The duo's stand blunted England's attack and pushed the game beyond the home side's reach.
Ecclestone's Five-Wicket Haul
England's star spinner Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 5 for 78 from 28 overs. She became the first England women's bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a Test at Lord's. Ecclestone dismissed Smriti Mandhana (17), Jemimah Rodrigues (0), Harmanpreet Kaur (24), Richa Ghosh (14), and Deepti Sharma.
"It was a challenging pitch, but I backed my variations. Yastika played exceptionally well, and we have a tough chase ahead," Ecclestone said after the innings.
India's Dominance
India's declaration came after lunch on Day 4, leaving England with a minimum of 90 overs to survive or chase down the target. The highest successful run chase in women's Test history is 238, set by Australia against England in 2021. The hosts face an uphill task to save the match.
Earlier, India had bowled out England for 273 in the first innings, with Sneh Rana taking 4 for 74. India's first-innings total of 445 for 8 declared was powered by Mandhana's 127 and Kaur's 95.
Match Situation
At stumps on Day 4, England were 15 for 0 in 8 overs, needing another 442 runs to win. The pitch at Lord's has shown variable bounce, making batting difficult. India will look to strike early on the final day to seal a historic victory.
