Starting Wednesday, December 6, India and England will face off in a three-game T20I series. India enters the contest hoping to leverage their recent success to fix their poor head-to-head record with England. It's been a banner year for Harmanpreet Kaur's team in the shortest format, including an Asian Games gold, a series win in Bangladesh, and a final appearance in the South African triangular series featuring the West Indies.
When the two sides meet in a three-match women’s T20I series beginning on December 6, Wednesday, Indian women will try to build on recent results and improve their poor bilateral record against England. So far, Harmanpreet Kaur’s side has had a fantastic year in the shortest format, winning the gold medal at the Asian Games, a 2-1 away series against Bangladesh, and reaching the final of the triangular series in South Africa, with West Indies as the third side.
England, the world number two, is eager to bounce back after slipping up at home with a 1-2 series loss to Sri Lanka. For India, ranked fourth, the challenge is significant; they have historically struggled in T20Is on home soil and specifically against England, making a positive result this time around a high priority.
India's home record against England is particularly worrying, with only two victories in nine meetings—the most recent being a dominant eight-wicket win at Brabourne Stadium over five years ago in March 2018. Their overall record is just as concerning, with only seven wins in 27 total matches. This series is a chance for the Women in Blue to improve a home record that currently stands at 19 wins, 30 losses, and one tie.
Having both reached the finals of the recent T20I World Cup in South Africa, India and England are using this series as a tune-up for the next major tournament in Bangladesh, set for September-October 2024. To strengthen their attack, India has introduced three new bowlers to the squad: right-arm spinner Shreyanka Patil and left-arm spinners Mannat Kashyap and Saika Ishaque.