India Women Create History at Lord's With Record 270-Run Win Over England
India Women scripted history with a dominant 270-run victory over England in the first-ever women's Test at Lord's. Yastika Bhatia, Kranti Gaud and Sneh Rana starred, while Sachin Tendulkar's pre-match pep talk added to the memorable triumph.
July 13, 2026: India Women created history with a commanding 270-run victory over England in the one-off Test at Lord's on Monday. Harmanpreet Kaur's side produced a complete performance with both bat and ball to register India's first-ever women's Test win at the iconic 'Home of Cricket'. It was a memorable triumph that showcased the team's dominance throughout the four-day contest and marked one of the greatest moments in Indian women's cricket.
England won the toss and chose to bowl first, but India responded with a solid total of 285 in the first innings. Smriti Mandhana led the way with a fluent 83, while the middle order made valuable contributions. England struggled in reply and were bowled out for 170, thanks to a sensational spell from Kranti Gaud. The young pacer claimed 5/37 and became the first woman to take a five-wicket haul in a Test at Lord's, earning a place on the famous Honours Board and giving India a valuable first-innings lead of 115 runs.
India made that advantage count in the second innings with another outstanding batting display. Smriti once again impressed with a classy 70, but it was Yastika Bhatia who stole the show with a brilliant 113 off 158 balls, including 14 boundaries. Her century also secured her a place on the Lord's Honours Board. Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh then played a fearless unbeaten half-century, scoring at a brisk pace before Harmanpreet Kaur declared the innings at 341/7, leaving England with a daunting target of 457 runs.
A day that goes down in the π΅πΆπππΌπΏπ π―πΌπΌπΈπ π#TeamIndia WIN the first-ever women's Test match at Lord's π₯³
Scorecard βΆοΈ https://t.co/O1rEau8j8n #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/4mhcx8kKej
β BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 13, 2026
Sachin Tendulkar's Pep Talk Inspires India Before Historic Finish
India entered the fourth and final day needing just four wickets to complete a famous victory. Before play began, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar visited the Indian dressing room and delivered an inspiring pep talk to the players. The "God of Cricket" spent time with the squad, motivating them ahead of the final session of the match. ICC Chairman Jay Shah was also present at Lord's to witness the historic occasion as India prepared to complete a memorable win.
Priceless moments as the legendary Sachin Tendulkar catches up with #TeamIndia at Lord's π#ENGvIND | @sachin_rt pic.twitter.com/di1exUmrfn
β BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 13, 2026
England resumed on 130/6, still requiring another 327 runs to win. Amy Jones, who was one of England's overnight batters, became the first wicket to fall after adding only a few runs to her score. Sophie Ecclestone fought hard with a determined half-century and shared a useful partnership with Issy Wong, but India remained in complete control. Deepti Sharma removed Lauren Bell and Wong in quick succession before Sneh Rana bowled Ecclestone with a superb delivery to seal the match. England were eventually bowled out for 186, handing India a comprehensive 270-run victory.
India's bowlers once again delivered an outstanding performance. Sneh Rana led the attack on the final day, while Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud and Sayali Satghare all made important contributions with the ball. The victory also strengthened India's impressive record against England in women's Test cricket. In 16 Tests between the two teams, India have now won four matches compared to England's one, with the remaining games ending in draws. As the final wicket fell, the Indian players celebrated with wide smiles, while Sachin Tendulkar applauded from the stands after witnessing one of the finest victories in the history of Indian women's cricket.
