Chelmsford, May 29 (IANS) Player of the Match Jemimah Rodrigues credited Yastika Bhatia for sharing the pressure during their match-winning partnership after her brilliant knock of 69 runs helped India defeat England by 38 runs in the opening T20I of the three-match series at the County Ground.

Coming in to bat after India were reduced to 7/2 in the opening over, Rodrigues anchored the innings superbly with a fluent 69 off 40 balls while Yastika struck 54 off 40 deliveries as the duo added 126 runs for the third wicket.

Their partnership helped India recover from the early blows inflicted by Lauren Bell and eventually post 188/7 in 19.5 overs.

Rodrigues said the stand with Yastika proved decisive in shaping India’s innings. “Lot of credit to Yastika. She took a load off me. That partnership was crucial,” Rodrigues said after receiving the Player of the Match award.

The India batter added that understanding the conditions and adapting quickly played a key role after the difficult start. “We assessed the conditions well. I think it was about playing the situation. T20 is all about momentum. It was important to be positive and patient,” she said.

Rodrigues noted that Bell generated movement early in the innings and said India had to adjust accordingly on a surface that offered some grip. “Initially, Bell got some movement. For an English pitch, there was some hold. Playing square off the wicket helped. My game is more about picking gaps. I trust my instincts and play my game,” she added.

Apart from her batting, Rodrigues was also lively in the field during England’s chase and said she thoroughly enjoys contributing on the field. “I enjoy fielding. Today felt like a yo-yo session. I love fielding in the hot spots,” she added.

India later restricted England to 150/8 despite Amy Jones’ fighting 67, with debutant pacer Nandni Sharma starring with figures of 3/34.

The victory gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and marked their second-biggest win over England in Women’s T20Is.

–IANS

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