Watch: Pooja Vastrakar struck twice in two balls during the morning session of day three of the Test between India and England today (December 16), snaring Sophia Dunkley before pinning back Nat Sciver-Brunt’s off stump.
India declared before the start of the match in Navi Mumbai, setting a whopping target of 479 for England. The final innings record for women’s Tests is 198 innings. However, England started positively with Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont finding boundaries early on. For Beaumont, Renuka Singh Thakur bowled 17.
Two overs later, Vastrakar came into the attack at the other end of Sune Rana and made an impact almost immediately. On her third delivery to Dunkley, she clipped the ball and dropped it just outside her stumps. Dunkley took the bait and tried to hit the ball offside. However, she caught the ball straight into the hands of substitute fielder Harleen Deol at the back point, making it 15 from a 24-run deficit. This wicket marked her highest score in her fifth innings of the series and ended her dismal run on tour.
England’s problems worsened with Vastrakar’s next ball, this time the straight ball sent by Vastrakar fell diagonally off the stumps. Nat Silver-Brant missed the ball completely and crashed into his midsection, giving Vastrakar a hat-trick and leaving England reeling.
Danny Wyatt came on to complete his hat-trick, driving the ball to the boundary and denying Vastrakar a three-on-three. She picked up her third wicket late in the morning as Heather Knight left England at 68 for 4 behind.
Watch: Pooja Vastrakar takes two in two below
Sophia Dunkley wicket
<iframe Loading=”lazy” src=”https://www.bcci.tv/video/5561104/ind-w-vs-eng-w-2023-1st-test-sophia-dunkley-wicket? tagNames=2023″ width=”420″ height=”315″ Frameborder=”0″allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> <iframe></iframe></iframe>
Nat Sciver-Brunt wicket
<iframe Loading=”lazy” src=”https://www.bcci.tv/video/5561105/ind-w-vs-eng-w-2023-1st-test-natalie-sciver-wicket? tagNames=2023″ width=”420″ height=”315″ Frameborder=”0″allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”><iframe></iframe></iframe>
Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.
