Jhulan Goswami claimed his record-expanding 254th and 255th ODI wickets – the last with his 10,001st delivery in the format – before ending his 20-year international career, making his debut in 2002.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur said after the match: “I know it was his last game but we will always remember him, he is always with us and when we need him he is just a call away. I am grateful that We got a chance to play with him.”
But the 39-year-old’s achievement was somewhat overshadowed at the end of the match when Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma ran out England’s top scorer Charlie Dean (47) for the final wicket with a “mankad” move, leaving the bails out. Went. Of the non-facing batsman, who had stepped out of her crease.
While the move, named after Indian player Vinoo Mankad, when he caused a controversy in a Test match in Australia in 1947, is within the Laws of Cricket, many players and pundits say it is not in the spirit of the game.
When the umpires reviewed their decision to have Dean out, boos were heard from England fans around the field, and the player eventually left the field in tears.
Dean later told the BBC: “The last dismissal divides opinion. I’m not a fan but how India feels about it. It’s in the rules and hopefully it doesn’t take the shine off a good heat and a good series.”
After announcing her international retirement before the match, Jhulan Goswami was given guard of honor by England when she came out to bat – only to be dismissed off the first ball – and again when she was out on the field. Come from your own side.
They were making 29 for four before recovering. Opener Smriti Mandhana scored a half-century off 79 balls, but in the next over, the ball moved from under her bat to the stumps. Sharma then underpinned the team with an unbeaten top score of 68 off 106 balls.
England bowler Kate Cross took 4-26, which included the opening wicket of Kaur (4) – who smashed an unbeaten 143 in the second match of the series on Wednesday – as well as Shafali Verma and Yastika Bhatia without scoring.
Despite setting a relatively low target, England soon found themselves in big trouble as they were quickly reduced to 53 for six, with India’s Renuka Singh Thakur taking four for 29.
Captain Amy Jones (28) took England past the 100-run mark before being dismissed, and Dean then put the innings together as England drew swiftly close to their target of 170 – before an unexpected move from Sharma struck. Gave victory to India.