3rd T20I - Skipper Knight powers England to a T20I Series Victory against White Ferns

Match: New Zealand tour of England, 3^rd T20I, 9^th September 2021

The NZ v ENG T20I decider saw England seal yet another series win.

The match was also special for two legends of the game as England skipper Heather Knight made her 200^th and New Zealand all-rounder Suzie Bates made her 250^th international appearance for their respective sides.

England Claim T20I Series Victory against New Zealand. PC: Twitter

The hosts won the toss at Taunton and elected to bowl first.

The playing XIs of the two sides were –

England: Danielle Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Natalie Sciver, Heather Knight (c), Amy Jones (wk), Sophia Dunkley, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Sarah Glenn, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant.

White Ferns: Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Katey Martin (wk), Hayley Jensen, Thamsyn Newton, Hannah Rowe, Jess Kerr, Leigh Kasperek.

The openers provided a decent start for New Zealand, with some crisp boundaries by Bates in particular. The England bowlers kept the batters in check as they did not allow the run rate to go out of hand. Some late flourishes by Brooke Halliday and Katey Martin ensured that they reach a defendable score in the form of 144 runs.

England walked out to chase a target of 145 runs with Danny Wyatt going all guns blazing right from the start. She scored a quickfire 23 ball-35, smashing six 4s and a 6.

Leigh Kasperek brought the White ferns back in the game by picking up the prized wicket of Wyatt and Sciver.

Skipper Knight and Keeper Amy Jones steadied the ship for England in the form of a fifty-run partnership but it was short-lived as Kasperek got Jones’ wicket.

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While it seemed anybody’s game, in the end, Sophia Dunkley came to England’s rescue. After a wicket off the first ball, 7 runs were still required, the batters were under pressure and so was bowler Maia Bouchier. 4 runs were needed off the last ball and she succumbed to bowl a full toss! Dunkley smashed it for a boundary handing a comprehensive series win to England.

The teams will now face off in a five-match ODI series, starting on 16^th September 2021.

Watch the Last Over Thriller here:

An absolute thriller to finish the IT20 series!

Full highlights: https://t.co/53LrnDNU6k pic.twitter.com/VhdavfpqI6

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 10, 2021