India strengthened their position in the one-off women’s Test at Lord’s by reaching 30 without loss at tea on Day 2, increasing their lead to 145 runs. After dismissing England for 170, thanks to Kranti Gaud’s impressive five-wicket haul, India secured a significant 115-run first-innings advantage.
Following the lunch break, India faced a challenging period against England’s pace attack, which displayed improved discipline. Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer bowled skillfully, testing the Indian openers with movement and bounce. Despite the pressure, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma remained composed, focusing on defense before seizing scoring opportunities.
Mandhana broke free first, playing two powerful pull shots to the boundary off Filer. Meanwhile, Shafali found her rhythm, hitting a boundary off Bell with a well-timed drive through the covers. Both openers displayed fluent strokeplay, frustrating England’s attempts to make quick breakthroughs.
With both batters looking settled and the pitch favoring batting, India heads into the final session in a commanding position, aiming to dominate England further and solidify their lead.
