Poor England slump to second T20 defeat by India

Second T20, Bristol

India 181-4 (20 overs): A Kaur 63* (40), Rodrigues 63 (41); Bell 2-17

England 157-7 (20 overs): Beaumont 54 (35); Shree Charani 2-28

India won by 24 runs; lead series 2-0

Scorecard

A poor all-round performance from England saw India take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 series with a convincing 24-run win at Bristol.

England dominated the opening powerplay as India slipped to 31-3 - including Saturday's centurion Smriti Mandhana for 13 - but contributions of 63 apiece from Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur led a brilliant recovery to 181-4.

The pair added 93 for the fourth wicket as England lost control of the middle overs, before Richa Ghosh's unbeaten 32 boosted the innings at the death.

In reply, England's all too familiar batting frailties were exposed once again as they failed to recover from an early wobble to 17-3, eventually scrambling to 157-7 after Tammy Beaumont's 54 and a cameo of 35 from Sophie Ecclestone.

Openers Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley fell in the first two overs and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt was caught at mid-on for 13, before Beaumont's counter-attacking knock kept England in the game with 106 needed from the final 10 overs.

But Beaumont's run out in the 12th over shifted the game back in India's favour and Amy Jones - who added 70 for the fourth wicket with Beaumont - and Alice Capsey both followed shortly after in the 15th, dismissed by the left-arm spin of Shree Charani.

Ecclestone's 23-ball knock ensured England finished with some respectability but with many of the same mistakes repeated from the thrashing at Trent Bridge, the new leadership of Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards is being put to the test by a rapidly improving India who are building plenty of confidence going into their home 50-over World Cup in the autumn.

If India's dominance at Trent Bridge was lit up by Mandhana's individual class, this innings required an all-round team effort after their powerhouses – Mandhana herself and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was returning from injury, both fell cheaply.

England experimented with Capsey's off-spin for the first over, which conceded 11, but seamers Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer dragged the control back brilliantly.

The latter dismissed Shafali Verma with an unplayable short ball that reared up and pinned the opener on the glove to be caught behind, Em Arlott had Mandhana well caught at mid-on by Bell before Harmanpreet pulled a poor delivery to short fine leg.

But Rodrigues, who came in at three, settled into her knock with exceptionally judged running between the wickets and putting the pressure on England's fielders before unveiling an array of ramps over the keeper and her movement around the crease completely threw England's bowlers off their length.

Amanjot took a backseat in the partnership, but when Rodrigues was dismissed thanks to Dunkley's flying catch at cover off Bell, Amanjot stepped up with her maiden T20 fifty and with Ghosh - who was inexplicably dropped by Beaumont on 12 - took the game away from England.

Bell was exceptional for her 2-17 but India were smart with their targets, taking 43 from Arlott's four overs, 42 from Filer's extra pace and Linsey Smith struggled again with 37 conceded from three wicketless overs.