New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) India Women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur shared her Player of the Match award with fast bowler Kranti Gaud, who played a pivotal role in the team’s win in the series decider, claiming six wickets in her quota of overs, at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street.

Harmanpreet’s gesture reflected her appreciation for Gaud’s match-winning performance as she gave her a signed ball with a special message written over it. “Dear Kranti, you are a star.” Along with the message, her bowling figures (9.5 overs, 1-maiden, 52 runs and 6 wickets) were also written on the ball.

An 84-ball 102 from captain Harmanpreet Kaur laid the foundation for India’s series-clinching 13-run victory over England in the third ODI at Chester-le-Street. This marked Kaur’s first century since June 2024 and was the second-fastest century by an Indian woman in ODIs. Her knock powered the visitors to a formidable total of 318/5.

In reply, England fought hard through Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 98 and her 162-run third wicket stand with Emma Lamb (68) but eventually ran out of steam as they were bowled out for 305. Kranti bagged her maiden five-wicket haul, finishing with 6 for 52 as India wrapped up the game by 13 runs with one ball remaining and clinched the three-match series 2-1.

Kranti became the fifth Indian bowler and the youngest to pick up a six-wicket haul in WODIs. She also became only the second Indian to achieve the feat against England after Jhulan Goswami (2005).

“I have got the player of the match. I want to share it with Kranti because she bowled one of the best spells of her career. I think it’s a great achievement as a bowler. For an Indian team, for such fast bowlers, we have been dying for that. She has brought the experience from WPL and domestic and is executing herself here. I think she deserves to share this. I am really happy for this ball,” Harmanpreet said in a video shared by BCCI on X.

After clinching a historic T20I series 3-2, the women-in-blue sealed the three-match ODI series. The visitors began the ODI series in similar fashion with a comfortable four-wicket victory to take a 1-0 series lead over England. But the hosts secured an eight-wicket win at Lord’s to level the three-match ODI series, taking it to the decider, which India won by 13 runs to wrap up a successful tour of England.

–IANS

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