Freya Kemp starred with both bat and ball as England beat India by 26 runs in the second women’s T20I in Bristol on Saturday to level the three-match series 1-1.Kemp first gave England a late boost with an unbeaten 39 off 13 balls before returning figures of 2/15, dismissing Smriti Mandhana and Jemima Rodriguez as India finished on 142/9 chasing 169.The series will now be decided in the third and final T20I at Taunton on Tuesday.Earlier, India controlled most of England’s innings after restricting the hosts to the middle overs. Left-arm spinner Shri Charani continued his impressive start in international cricket with 3/25.However, Kemp turned the innings around at the death. England scored 39 runs in the last two overs, including Arundhati Reddy’s last over of 24 runs. Kemp hit two sixes and two fours during his innings as England reached 168/5.India got off to a positive start in the chase through openers Shafali Verma and Mandhana. Shafali scored 22 off 14 balls while Mandhana scored 32 off 25 balls as the visitors kept pace with the target.Even after losing the openers, India were comfortably put at 78/2 after 10 overs.The match took a turn during the middle overs when England spinners Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone slowed down the scoring. It became difficult to find boundaries and the required run rate continued to climb.Yesthika Bhatia, who was dropped by Dean on 29, struggled to increase the scoring rate and eventually retired after scoring 33 off 36 balls as India looked for quick runs.Dean built the pressure with a series of economical overs while Ecclestone kept the Indian batsmen in check at the other end as well.Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur tried to keep the target alive by scoring 28 off 22 balls. During her innings, she became only the third batsman to score 4,000 runs in Women’s T20I alongside Suzy Bates and Smriti Mandhana.But England continued to attack at key moments.Kemp removed Jemima soon after coming to the crease, while Dean delivered a major blow by dismissing Richa Ghosh (8) and Harmanpreet within four balls.Harmanpreet dropped Dean trying to attack from outside off, and his dismissal left India with little to do.With the required rate increasing rapidly and wickets falling regularly, India failed to recover as England sealed the win and kept the series alive.
