48.4 OVERS: India 219 all out
India's tailenders came undone against England's experienced seamers, perhaps succumbing to a bit of pressure. An uncertain call for a single resulted in the run-out of Shikha Pandey, and this brought about a collapse. Deepti Sharma's mistimed stroke resulted in her wicket, as she was caught by Natalie Sciver within the circle.
A dropped catch from Jenny Gunn didn't matter as Rajeshwari Gayakwad, the No. 11, was bowled. Shrubsole finished with six wickets and India fell 10 runs short of its target.
England won its fourth World Cup title. As a strong side, it was a favourite to win it, and at the crucial juncture, as India neared its target, English bowlers held their nerve.
India may rue its careless run-out to end Mithali Raj's innings, and some other moments in its collapse at the end. Much as there will be disappointment at what could have been - as there has to be when the team looked comfortably in the hunt - the end of its journey will also be a moment to reflect on the magnificent, whirlwind ride that provided many stirring moments to savour.
WICKET: Pandey run out Shrubsole 4
WICKET: Sharma c Sciver b Shrubsole 14
WICKET: Gayakwad b Shrubsole 0
45 OVERS: India 201/7 (Sharma 3)
Amid the run-making, India has suffered a few big jolts. Punam Raut falls leg before wicket to Anya Shrubsole; she chooses to take the DRS review but is denied it by the umpire due to time lapse. Hawk-eye review confirmed it would have been out anyway.
The new batter, Sushma Verma is bowled by Alex Hartley.
Krishnamurthy is enterprising but she is taking a few risks in her endeavour. She pays the price with a mistimed stroke, she is caught by Natalie Sciver. And Shrubsole gets the new batter, Jhulan, bowled.
WICKET: Raut lbw Shrubsole 86
WICKET: Verma b Alex Hartley 0
WICKET: Krishnamurthy c Sciver b Shrubsole 35
WICKET: Goswami b Shrubsole 0
40 OVERS: India 173/3 (Raut 80, Krishnamurthy 16)
Heather Knight, fielding at extra cover, drops a not-too-difficult catch off Krishnamurthy. The batters are trying to accelerate, but so far, with a field spread around, runs can only be collected as singles and twos. India needs to score 56 off the last 10 overs.
35 OVERS: India 145/3 (Raut 65, Krishnamurthy 5)
Harmanpreet doused Indian hopes of an encore from her as her sweep is swallowed by the deep square leg fielder soon after she completes a half-century. Raut survives a scare as misses a ball stepping down the track to Laura Marsh and ball is not collected for a stumping by Sarah Taylor.
Veda Krishnamurthy, the new batter, has signalled her intent with an attacking stroke.
WICKET: Harmanpreet Kaur c Beaumont b Hartley 51 (80)
30 OVERS: India 120/2 (Raut 50, Kaur 46)
The Indian batters have settled in nicely and are motoring along smoothly. Besides the regular singles, Harmanpreet has chipped in with a couple of fours and a six. The required run-rate is manageable, at 5.45 per over.
Punam Raut has reached her half-century, a responsible knock.
20 OVERS: India 69/2 (Rau 31, Kaur 17)
Harmanpreet hits India's second six of the innings, off Alex Hartley. A maiden over apart, the batters have been trying to get a move along. The 20th over, bowled by Hartley, is worth 10 runs for India.
India is trying to recover from the careless dismissal of Mithali, who is used to shepherding India along through much of its innings frequently.
15 OVERS: India 50/2 (Raut 24, Kaur 6)
A suicidal single turns fatal as Mithali Raj is run-out. Punam Raut had called for a single with the ball resting close to her at the strikers' end; Mithali responded, but it seems she knew she would be run out by a distance as she didn't even attempt a dive to save her wicket. Harmanpreet, the new batter, has a scary moment when her charge to Laura Marsh almost results in a catch at mid-wicket - the ball narrowly evades the fielder.
India had a big over of 10 runs off Natalie Sciver with Raut and Raj striking a boundary each.
WICKET: Mithali is run-out by Natalie Sciver for 17
10 OVERS: India 31/1 (Raut 17, Raj 11)
Punam Raut's lofted strokes with a knee resting on the ground for elevation have got the scoreboard moving. One of them was a six to long-on.
5 OVERS: India 18/1 (Raut 6, Raj 9)
The Indian top-order is circumspect against England's seamers. After a quiet first over, Smriti Mandhana departs for a duck, undone by a good length delivery that sneaked through to disturb the stumps. After the first two matches, the attacking opener has had a string of low scores.
Punam Raut scores India's first boundary of the innings, a lofted stroke down the ground off Anya Shrubsole. Mithali, the new batter, scores a boundary through the off-side off Katherine Brunt.
WICKET: Smriti Mandhana was bowled by Anya Shrubsole.
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50 OVERS: England 228/7 (Gunn 25, Marsh 14)
Two boundaries - through deep midwicket and extra cover - allows England to collect 14 runs off the 48th over. Incidentally, that is the one anomalous over of seam bowling (bowled by Shikha Pandey) in a cluster of overs of spin. England collects frequent singles in the final two overs bowled by spinners, to get to 228 for 7.
WICKET: Deepti Sharma lines up an accurate throw to knock down the stumps at the non-strikers' end from square leg. Katherine Brunt is run out.
45 OVERS: England 192/6 (Gunn 6, Brunt 32)
The batters are attempting a few big hits but they aren't able to get hold of the loopy deliveries of Indian spinners. Brunt's boundary through the off side in the 44th over is the exception, as England tries to accelerate in the death overs.
40 OVERS: England 168/6 (Gunn 2, Brunt 15)
Jhulan Goswami's three for 23 could be a decisive spell. Katherine Brunt and Jenny Gunn have to quicken their scoring rates if England wants to get to 220-plus.
WICKET: Sciver's gone! Jhulan's on a roll. She pitches the ball on the perfect length that comes in to Sciver and strikes her pad. England's in big trouble. England 164/6 in 37.1 overs.
35 OVERS: England 155/5 (Sciver 48, Brunt 4)
The Goswami wickets have pegged England back; onus on Sciver to stay till the end.
WICKET: Two in two! Jhulan welcomes Fran Wilson with a yorker that she gets it on her pads. England 146/5 in 32.5 overs.
WICKET: Such a meek end to a good partnership. Sarah Taylor gets a faint edge to a Jhulan Goswami delivery that's going down the leg. Well, it seems like Jhulan can get wickets with bad balls, too. England 146/4 in 32.4 overs.
30 OVERS: England 133/3 (Taylor 39, Sciver 39)
Sarah Taylor and Natalie Sciver are setting this up nicely. The partnership is past 60 now. The run-rate's peaked a bit, too. England, at this rate, would reach 230.
25 OVERS: England 104/3 (Sciver 23, Taylor 26)
England trudges past 100. Sciver and Taylor are building the innings slow and steady. The run-rate needs to perk up though. Oh, and it's drizzling heavily at Lord's. Covers are kept ready. Some of the floodlights are on.
20 OVERS: England 80/3 (Taylor 14, Sciver 13)
England's wobbling after making a solid start. It has a strong, attacking batting line-up but the Indian bowlers have choked it for runs.
REVIEW: Successful. England's in trouble. Heather Knight falls to Poonam after she misses a sweep and gets the ball on her pads. DRS shows the ball would go on to hit middle and leg. England 63/3 in 16.1 overs.
15 OVERS: England 61/2 (Knight 0, Taylor 9)
India has put England on the backfoot with quick dismissals of the openers. Sarah Taylor and Heather Knight must settle down quick and build a big partnership.
WICKET: India gets another one. Tammy Beaumont mistimes a juicy full toss from Poonam Yadav and hits it straight to Jhulan Gosawmi at midwicket. England 61/2 in 14.4 overs.
WICKET: Rajeshwari Gayakwad gets the breakthrough for India. Lauren Winfield loses is bowled after trying to sweep the bowler. England 47/1 in 11.1 overs.
10 OVERS: England 43/0 (Winfield 22, Beaumont 19)
India still searching for its first breakthrough. First over of spin from Rajeshwari Gayakwad went for 12 runs as Winfield took her to the cleaners.
REVIEW: A successful one! Winfield is given out lbw to Goswami but uses DRS and she's right! England 43/0 in nine overs.
5 OVERS: England 21/0 (Winfield 10, Beaumont 10)
A steady start by England. Winfield and Beaumont have attacked Shikha Pandey. Looks like it's a full house at Lord's.
TOSS: England wins toss and its gonna bowl bat first. "We would've batted first as well, but our seamers are back in form, they'll relish bowling upfront," says Mithali.
TEAMS
India
England
Hello everyone! It's a big, big day at Lord's as India takes on England. India's a win away from scripting the most important piece of history in women's cricket in the country. While, England, at home, would look to win its fourth title.
The following for the Mithali Raj-team has grown throughout the tournament. And, MCC today, has made an exception to its stringent rules by allowing the Bharat Army, a group of Indian fans, to get a drummer.
As we are a few minutes away from toss, read the preview .
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