The Indian Women's Cricket team registered their first-ever T20I series win on English soil, after taking an insurmountable lead of 3-1 in the five-match series. In the fourth match of the series, the Women in Blue defeated England by 6 wickets with 18 balls to go to seal the series in Manchester.

Indian spinners set up the game for them. Tammy Beaumont's decision to bat first was struck by the Indian spin trio of Shree Charani, Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav. England could only reach 126/7 in the first inning, which India chased down easily. 

What happened in the match? 

India were chasing history after winning the first two games of the series. But England, one of the strongest teams in the world, looked in form after winning the last game. 

However, Indian bowlers struck early, and Harmanpreet Kaur's plan to keep rotating the bowlers worked very well. Amanjot Kaur, Shree Charani, Deepti Sharma, and Arundhati Reddy all bowled one over each in the first four overs. 

Shree was able to get the wicket of Danni Wyatt-Hodge (5) in the third over, while Sophia Dunkley (22) was dismissed by Deepti in the final over of the powerplay. 

After the first two wickets, Tammy Beaumont and Alice Capsey tried to build a partnership for England. But once Radha Yadav got rid of the English captain in the 11th over, it was all about India after that. 

Sophie Ecclestone, at the end, added a quick 16 from 10 balls to take England to 126/7 in the first inning. Radha Yadav with 4-15-2 was the pick of the bowlers for India. Shree Charani also picked up two wickets for 30 for the Indian team.

During the chase, Shafali Varma gave India a flying start with her 31 from 19 balls. Although Smriti Mandhana (32) was dismissed soon after that, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur (26), along with Jemimah Rodrigues, built a 48-run partnership to take India close to the total. 

Eventually India won the match by 6 wickets with 18 balls remaining as Jemimah (24*) hit the winning runs for them. 

Radha Yadav was named the player of the match. 

Why is the ENG-W vs IND-W series win important?

The ENG-1 vs IND-W series was a stage rehearsal for the Indian Women's Cricket team as they will look to win their first-ever T20I World Cup next year in England.

So, the memories of winning their maiden T20 series here would definitely give them confidence when they come back to England next year. 

The controversy over the key members of the Indian Test team not being selected for major domestic cricket tournaments continues to grow. Now The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has expressed strong displeasure over the exclusion of top international players like KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj from the South Zone team for the upcoming Duleep Trophy.

After this, the Board has officially written a letter to all the state associations asking them to give priority to the selection of centrally contracted players for this opening tournament of the domestic season.

Also Read: Ranji Trophy: Ajinkya Rahane steps down from Mumbai captaincy ahead of the new season

Many big names were not included

South Zone announced its team on July 27. Many big names like KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna and Sai Sudharsan were not included in it.

The Duleep Trophy, which begins in Bengaluru on August 28, is considered an important platform for domestic and national level talents. The board did not like the decision of the South Zone to not include these players in the team despite their availability during the off-season.

Abey Kuruvilla wrote the email

BCCI General Manager of Cricket Operations Abey Kuruvilla addressed the issue in an email sent to zonal coordinators and state units last week. According to the reports, Kuruvilla stressed the importance of ensuring the participation of all available Indian players to maintain the prestige and competitive level of the Duleep Trophy. 

Kuruvilla wrote in the email, “To uphold its prestige and ensure the highest quality of competition, it’s imperative that all currently available India players are selected for their respective zonal teams. Requesting the Zonal Convenors to ensure that all the current India players who are available to play Duleep trophy should be picked.”

“All players, contracted or otherwise, who make themselves available for selection into Team India, shall participate in domestic matches conducted by BCCI,” 

“In case any player opts not to participate in any domestic cricket tournaments in spite of availability, he/she shall not be considered for selection unless a prior recommendation is obtained to skip the match/tournament from the National coach and the chairman of the selection committee, and prior approval from the BCCI. In case any leave is granted, the same shall be considered on the basis of some valid and cogent reason.” the email said.

Instructions to give priority to domestic cricket

This directive is in line with the BCCI's policy of making participation of international players mandatory in domestic competitions. The board had previously warned players against giving priority to the IPL over first-class cricket and earlier this year reminded all contracted players to remain committed to the domestic calendar.

However, this instruction from BCCI has come after South Zone announced its team. It is still not clear whether the selectors will make any changes in their list or not. Tilak Verma was made the captain of the team.

Also Read: Duleep Trophy: Shardul Thakur to lead the West Zone; no Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in the squad

Questions were raised on international players

Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh and Shreyas Iyer among many other players are expected to participate in the tournament representing their respective regions.

The state associations have previously expressed concern that the automatic inclusion of Indian stars in the regional teams overlooks Ranji players who have performed consistently throughout the season.

Many have argued that matches such as India A tours and Board President's XI would be a more suitable platform for international players, leaving regional tournaments as a rewarding avenue for domestic players.

The ICC Women's World Cup 2025 is to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka and a total of 8 teams are to participate in it. But even before the tournament starts, a big change has been made in its schedule.

After the stampede in Bengaluru, the ICC has now decided to shift the matches to be held at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to the ground in Navi Mumbai, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.

Also Read: ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: Indian squad announced, Shefali Verma not in the team

Matches cancelled in Bengaluru due to RCB stampede case

After 17 years of long wait, RCB team finally won the IPL 2025 title. After this, RCB players gathered at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate the victory. There was a huge crowd to see them and after this many fans lost their lives due to a stampede.

Then the Karnataka government formed a commission, which declared the Bengaluru ground unsafe for big events. Now after this, the ICC has decided not to hold matches on the Bengaluru ground.

Matches will be held at Navi Mumbai ground

The match between India and Sri Lanka was to be held on 30 September at Bengaluru ground, which will now be played at Guwahati ground. The match between England and South Africa was also scheduled to be held on 3 October, which will now be held in Guwahati. The match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on 20 October was to be played at Colombo ground, which will now be played at Navi Mumbai ground. 

On the other hand, Navi Mumbai has got two more matches to be played in Bengaluru. These include India vs New Zealand (23 October) and India vs Bangladesh (26 October). There is also a strong possibility that the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final will be held either in Navi Mumbai or Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Also Read: India Cricket team's performance in every ICC Women's World Cup

Jay Shah expressed satisfaction about the new venue

"Navi Mumbai has emerged as a genuine home for women’s cricket in recent years. The support it has received during international fixtures and the Women’s Premier League has been remarkable, creating an atmosphere that elevates the players and inspires fans. I am certain that the same energy will define the big matches of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as it returns to India after 12 years," Jay Shah said in an ICC release.

“We stand at a pivotal moment in the journey of the women’s game. This World Cup has the potential to be remembered as one of those defining milestones that shaped the sport’s future, not only in India but across the cricketing world.

“While unforeseen circumstances required us to adjust the schedule and replace a venue, we are pleased to now have a line-up of five world-class venues that will showcase the very best of the women’s game. The stage is set, and I am confident this tournament will capture imaginations and inspire a new generation of fans.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has extended the contract of Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar. According to the report, he will remain in this position till June 2026. The decision came just two days after India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad announcement. Former fast bowler Agarkar was made the chairman of Team India's selection committee in July 2023.

Also Read: Five things from Asia Cup team announcement press conference

The contract was renewed before IPL 2025

According to the report, Agarkar's contract was renewed ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. During his tenure, the Indian team won titles and also saw changes (in Tests and T20s). The BCCI had extended his contract till June 2026 and he had accepted the offer a few months ago.

“Under his tenure the Indian team had won titles and had seen transition (of the Tests and T20) too. The BCCI had extended his contract till June 2026 and he had accepted the offer a few months back,” a BCCI official said.

Indian cricket team under Agarkar's tenure

During Ajit Agarkar's tenure, Team India won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Apart from this, Team India also reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Where it lost to Australia.

Agarkar has also overseen leadership changes. Shubman Gill became Test captain. Suryakumar Yadav took charge of the T20I side. Meanwhile, senior stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma now play only ODIs. Ravichandran Ashwin has retired completely.

S Sharath could lose his place

Agarkar currently works with SS Das, Subroto Banerjee, Ajay Ratra and S Sharath. But changes are expected at the BCCI annual meeting in September.

Reports say S Sharath could lose his place. He has served close to four years as selector, the maximum allowed by BCCI rules. Sharath earlier headed the junior selection panel before joining the senior one in 2023. BCCI will soon invite applications to fill the vacancy. Officials are largely happy with the rest of the panel. Only Sharath’s role looks under review for now.

Changes will also be made for women’s and junior panels

The shake-up will not stop with the men’s committee. The BCCI will also invite applications for the women’s and junior selectors. Neetu David, head of the women’s panel, and members Arati Vaidya and Mithu Mukherjee, complete their terms this season. The junior men’s panel, led by Thilak Naidu and others, may also see changes.

Also Read: ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: Indian squad announced, Shefali Verma not in the team

Agarkar's international career

Ajit Agarkar has taken 349 international wickets in his career. He has taken 58 wickets in Tests, 288 in ODIs and 3 wickets in T20 Internationals.

Agarkar was also a part of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in 2007. He scored 15 runs and took one wicket in 2 matches of the tournament. India won the title by defeating Pakistan in the final of the tournament held in South Africa.

Agarkar is the fastest Indian batsman to score a half century in ODIs. He scored a half century in 21 balls against Zimbabwe in the year 2000. He has also completed the fastest 50 wickets in ODIs for India. He achieved this feat in 23 matches.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Indian women's cricket team for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. This tournament will be held in October and a list of 15 players has been released for this on Tuesday.

#TeamIndia squad for ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025⬇️

Harmanpreet Kaur (Capt), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh (WK), Kranti Gaud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani,…

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) August 19, 2025

Also Read: India Cricket team's performance in every ICC Women's World Cup

Harmanpreet to lead the team

The responsibility of team selection was of the National Selection Committee, which is headed by former Indian cricketer Ajit Agarkar. He has handed over the command of the team to experienced all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur.

At the same time, left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana has been appointed as the vice-captain. Both the players have been the backbone of the Indian women's team for the last several years and they are expected to perform well in this tournament as well.

No Shafali Verma in the squad

Shafali Verma has been left out despite the head coach, Amol Majumdar, backing her after the England series. Shafali was part of the India A squad on the recently concluded Australia tour, but she couldn't impress much in six white-ball matches that included three One-Day games too. As for the squad, the Indian team has been picked on the expected lines with not much surprise in the offing.

Some new faces got the chance 

BCCI has selected a balanced team in which along with the experienced players, some new faces have also got a chance. In which players like Pratika Rawal, Sree Charani and Kranti Gaud will get a chance to prove themselves on a big stage like the World Cup for the first time. The selectors have made it clear that these young players have been selected on the basis of their domestic performance.

Strong bowling unit

The role of all-rounders will be important in the team. Players like Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana have the ability to contribute with both bat and ball. Renuka Singh and Arundhati Reddy will lead the fast bowling attack. Radha Yadav and Sneh Rana will strengthen the spin department.

Players to take part in a special training camp

According to the team management, the players will take part in a special training camp before the World Cup, in which special attention will be paid to fitness, strategy and match simulation. The goal is that the team should enter the field fully prepared and become a strong contender to win the title.

Also Read: ICC Women's World Cup Past Winners & Most Successful Teams

ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: India Squad

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.

The Buchi Babu 2025 tournament has started by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association from 18 August to 9 September. In Round 1, TNCA XI and Mumbai are facing off at Gojan College B Ground. On the very first day of this match, India's Out-of-favour middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan has attracted everyone's attention by scoring a brilliant century.

Also Read: BCCI Central Contract 2025: Talking points from BCCI's contract announcement

Sarfaraz hit 92-ball century

Sarfaraz Khan scored this century while batting at number 5. When he came to bat, Mumbai had lost three wickets for 98 runs. After this, Sarfaraz Khan handled the team's innings and scored a stormy century. Sarfaraz reached the 100-run mark in just 92 balls. During this, he also hit 9 fours and 3 sixes. 

Not selected for England tour

This innings is special for Sarfaraz Khan in many ways, because recently he was not selected in the Indian Test team for the England tour. Sarfaraz has been in the news for his fitness for some time now. After not being selected in Team India, he worked a lot on his fitness. Sarfaraz Khan surprised everyone by losing about 17 kg in just one and a half months.

This is his first match after losing weight and he has been successful in leaving his mark in this match. Sarfaraz Khan is now eyeing to make his place in the home Test series to be played against West Indies.

Sarfaraz's Test performance for India so far

The last of Sarfaraz’s six Tests came during New Zealand’s tour of India last year. After scoring a brilliant 150 in the first Test against the Kiwis in Bengaluru, Sarfaraz just managed 21 runs in the subsequent four innings as India was blanked 0-3 at home. In 11 Test innings so far, Sarfaraz has scored 371 runs at a middling average of 37.10.

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests

Though Sarfaraz was picked in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, he didn’t play a single game in the five-match affair.

However, with Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan failing to make a statement with the willow during the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series in England, Sarfaraz has a golden opportunity to be in the scheme of things again ahead of a packed home season.