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Bell removes India's openers in first over

First T20, Chelmsford

India 188-7 (20 overs): Rodrigues 69 (40); Bell 3-34

England 150-8 (20 overs): Jones 67 (48); Sharma 3-34

England suffered a chastening pre-T20 World Cup defeat as they were completely outplayed by India in a 38-run defeat in Chelmsford. Chasing 189 to win, England stuttered to 150-8 as questions remain around their batting line-up before the tournament begins in June. Openers Alice Capsey and Sophia Dunkley fell cheaply before Amy Jones made a fluent 67 from 48 balls, but the run-rate climbed out of control as they collapsed from 120-3.

The returns of Danni Wyatt-Hodge from maternity leave and Nat Sciver-Brunt from injury cannot come soon enough for England's stuttering top order. Extras also proved a big difference, with England giving away 21 compared to India's three.

Lauren Bell gave England the perfect start with two wickets in the first over, including star batter Smriti Mandhana from the first ball of the innings before Shafali Verma fell for two. But Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia remained unflustered, taking 27 from the second over bowled by Issy Wong to kickstart their counter-attacking third-wicket stand of 126.

England's standards in the field slipped again when they were under pressure, but stand-in skipper Charlie Dean led an encouraging fightback by removing both set batters in the 14th over. Bhatia was run out for 54 and Rodrigues was caught and bowled for 69 as India slipped from 133-2 to 148-6, including debutant Tilly Corteen-Coleman's first T20 wicket as Richa Ghosh was sensationally caught by Wong.

But Deepti Sharma, so often a thorn in England's side, struck four boundaries in her 22 from 13 balls at the death to ensure India's middle overs brilliance was not in vain as they finished 188-7.

The three-match series continues at Bristol on Saturday, where Wyatt-Hodge is in contention to feature for the first time this summer. The all-too-familiar narrative that has followed England over the past few years is already beginning to re-emerge, of sweeping aside lower-ranked opposition with confidence before cracks are exposed against teams of a much higher quality.

They immediately had India on the back foot as Mandhana inexplicably chipped her first ball to cover before Verma whacked one to mid-on for two, but that pressure eased just as quickly with Wong's wayward over which included three wides, two of which beat Jones to the boundary.

Bhatia and Rodrigues were sublime in their fearless approach, targeting England's superstar in Sophie Ecclestone and both reaching 31-ball half-centuries. Rodrigues played with her usual wristy effortlessness, while England struggled to the left-handed Bhatia who was playing her first T20 since 2024. They reached 73-2 after the six-over powerplay, which is the highest powerplay score against England in T20s and their aggression forced the mistakes from England.

Dunkley, Corteen-Coleman and Bell all misfielded for boundaries, while Jones missed a rare stumping with Bhatia on 51. There was plenty to admire in how Dean revived England, though.

She held her nerve to assist Corteen-Coleman with Bhatia's run out off her bowling, before holding on to the sharp chance to dismiss Rodrigues who hammered the ball back at her. Wong's catch was an outlier, a fantastic effort running backwards from cover after Ghosh's reverse sweep, and Dean was proactive in bringing her seamer straight back into the attack with confidence behind her.

Wong immediately delivered the wicket as England showed glimpses of fighting back, but their lack of control after Bell's opening burst proved too costly.

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