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Capsey and Knight guide England to series win over India

India 180-5 (20 overs): Harmanpreet 56 (40); Bell 2-36

England 184-4 (18.3 overs): Capsey 82 (43), Knight 70* (42)

England won by six wickets

Alice Capsey has left England with a huge selection decision and Heather Knight crucially found form as the hosts signed off for the T20 World Cup with a six-wicket win over India to clinch the series 2-1. With captain Nat Sciver-Brunt to return from injury, Capsey appeared the most vulnerable in England's XI for next week's tournament opener before she dominated India's bowling in hitting 82 from 43 balls in a chase of 181.

England were 14-2 when 21-year-old Capsey emerged, with Sophia Dunkley out for 16 and Danni Wyatt-Hodge five. Their places are now under immense pressure from Capsey, who hit nine fours and three sixes and put on 137 in a superb partnership with Knight. Veteran former captain Knight has struggled for form this summer, leading to doubts around her place in the side, but she looked near her best in making 70 not out from 42 balls.

Though Capsey was dismissed with six runs still needed, England still completed their second highest T20 chase - and highest in the UK - with ease, getting home with nine balls to spare. It gives England a major boost going into their home World Cup and positions them as one of the favourites to win a major trophy for the first time since 2017. They have warm-up matches against India and Australia next week before opening the tournament against Sri Lanka on 12 June.

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This video can not be played 'Spectacular hitting' - Capsey hits back-to-back sixes

Coach Charlotte Edwards will be delighted with the momentum England have gained and the quality of their cricket but now faces her biggest decision since being appointed as coach before the start of last summer.

Capsey hit a match-winning 74 not out against New Zealand last month but when Wyatt-Hodge was available for Saturday's match in Bristol she was pushed down from opener to number four – a sign that Dunkley and Wyatt-Hodge were still the preferred opening partnership. How long can that remain the case?

Dunkley, who has opened in all of England's T20s under Edwards, made a start again, reaching double figures for the fifth time in a row, before hitting straight to deep mid-wicket. Her highest score this summer is 26. Wyatt-Hodge has made 29 and five since returning after the birth of her first child but has the advantage of holding the experience of 179 internationals.

While Knight played a series of sweeps and reverses, Capsey, who looks fitter and more composed in 2026, targeted the straight boundaries with power. She hit one glorious carving drive over extra cover for six early on and in the 15th over kicked for home by hitting spinner Sree Charani for a four and two thumping sixes.

Knight reached her fifty in 31 deliveries - the quickest she has reached that landmark for England in any format. She was unrecognisable from the batter who started the summer with five innings around a run a ball.

The next question is whether England can translate this performance into one under pressure on the world stage, something they have failed to do in recent years.

This video can not be played Best shots from Knight's unbeaten 70 against India

This video can not be played 'Fabulous fielding' - Ecclestone runs out Bhatia in style

The common view is that bowling is England's strength going into the World Cup, though they have conceded 180 or more in two of these three matches. Here they were not at their best with Linsey Smith, fresh from her rise to number one in the T20 bowling rankings, conceding 40 from her four overs in India's 180-5. New-ball partner Lauren Bell was also unusually wayward early on and as a result 57 runs came from the powerplay, even with Shefali Verma and Harmanpreet falling for 11 and eight respectively.

This video can not be played Bell bowls Rodrigues for 29

To England's credit, they were excellent in the field – a sign of their improvement under Edwards. Sophie Ecclestone ran out Yastika Bhatia for an enterprising 32 with a direct hit from mid-off and, while Ecclestone spoiled things slightly with a comedy miss from close range on the final ball of the innings, there were other sprawls and stops. Bell recovered to bowl Jemimah Rodrigues with a fine slower ball for 29. Her versatility - she was threatening with the new ball and canny at the death - will be crucial at the World Cup.

Though Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma put on 67 from 48 balls, England fought back as they did in the second T20 in Bristol on Saturday. India could have pushed beyond 190 but given Capsey and Knight's batting that still may not have been enough.

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