Indian women`s team face England in final audition before World Cup

India will look to regain consistency and finalise their combination in the final dress rehearsal for next month`s women`s T20 World Cup when they take on hosts England in a three-match series starting here on Thursday. With the global event set to begin on June 12, the tour assumes added significance for Harmanpreet Kaur`s side, which has shown flashes of brilliance over the past year but has struggled to maintain momentum consistently. India`s preparations for the T20 World Cup have been a mixed bag. tr-sport.click

They began strongly with a commanding 5-0 clean sweep over Sri Lanka at home last December before scripting history in Australia by clinching a 2-1 T20I series victory, their first bilateral series win there in a decade. The triumph in Australia was seen as a major step forward for a side that has often struggled overseas, especially in pressure situations. The batters` aggressive approach and the bowlers` discipline offered encouraging signs in the lead-up to the World Cup. However, the momentum dropped during the subsequent South Africa tour where India endured a disappointing 1-4 defeat in conditions that exposed several concerns ahead of the marquee tournament.

The batting lacked consistency, the middle order struggled to finish games, and the bowling attack failed to deliver regularly in crunch moments as India looked out of rhythm for most of the series. The England series thus gives India the opportunity to work on these aspects before their opening T20 World Cup match against Pakistan on June 14. Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Goud and Arundhati Reddy are expected to share the pace-bowling responsibilities, while the team management could also look at giving rookie Nandini Sharma some game time after the youngster impressed with her fast-bowling skills in the Women`s Premier League.

With India`s pacers struggling in South Africa and conditions in England expected to assist seam bowling, the visitors` pace attack will need to be far more disciplined and alert from the outset. There are positives, though, with Radha Yadav and Yastika Bhatia returning to the squad after missing the South Africa series. Bhatia, India`s first-choice wicketkeeper, had been sidelined due to an ACL injury, while Radha`s return adds valuable experience to the spin department that also features Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani and Shreyanka Patil.

India will also draw confidence from their tour of England last year when they secured their first-ever bilateral T20I series victory on English soil with a 3-2 triumph over the hosts. Harmanpreet said adjusting to the pitches will be the challenge for the Indian team and not the conditions. "We love playing in England conditions because of the weather, it is quite easy for us.

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The only challenge is the pitches because we are not used to these kind of pitches but this series will give us little bit of confidence and experience before the T20 World Cup," Harmanpreet told reporters on the eve of the series opener. England, on the other hand, head into the series after a dominant showing against New Zealand but will miss regular skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, who is continuing her recovery from a calf injury.

The hosts, however, have been boosted by the return of star batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge following the birth of her first child. England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones said her side is expecting a lot of spin threat from India. "(Playing against) India, you`d probably expect a lot more spin and they have got some brilliant spinners and a lot of firepower with the bat as well so that is what we are planning for," Jones told the media.

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Rajasthan Royals (RR) fast bowler Jofra Archer took a dig at Punjab Kings (PBKS) after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2026 Eliminator. The pacer said that his franchise must avoid a collapse similar to the Punjab Kings’ campaign and maintain their momentum during the crucial knockout stage.

Rajasthan Royals, led by Riyan Parag, defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, by 47 runs in the Eliminator at the New Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Wednesday, May 27. The victory secured Rajasthan’s place in Qualifier 2, where they will face Gujarat Titans (GT) at the same venue on Sunday, May 31.

Don’t Want What Happened to Kings 11 to Happen to Us - Jofra Archer

Speaking to the broadcasters, Jofra Archer spoke about Rajasthan Royals’ current momentum. The fast bowler said that the team is moving in the right direction but added that every player must continue contributing to avoid a sudden collapse in form.

“Very confident. Every game, every game at a time. I think we are peak, well, I don't want to say peaking, we're going in the right direction at the right time, you know, we don't want what happened to Kings 11 to happen to us, so I think we're on the right path, everyone chipping in every game, and that's the important part,” Archer said.

Punjab Kings suffered a dramatic collapse during IPL 2026 under captain Shreyas Iyer. After winning six of their first seven matches, the 2025 runners-up lost six consecutive games and eventually finished with 15 points, narrowly missing the playoffs as Rajasthan Royals qualified with 16 points.

Also Read: IPL chairman breaks silence on “honey-trap” rumours after BCCI issues warning to teams

Stuck to Our Plans, Stuck to Our Lengths - Jofra Archer on RR Bowling Display

Jofra Archer praised Rajasthan Royals’ bowling effort after their high-scoring Eliminator win. The fast bowler said that the entire attack followed the team’s plans well and maintained disciplined lengths despite conceding runs on a batting-friendly surface.

“Apart from the figures, I thought our bowling pretty alright. I think all of the guys bowled alright. We stuck to our plans. We stuck to our lengths, and we were rewarded tonight,” Archer said.

The England pacer played a key role in stopping Sunrisers Hyderabad during their chase of 244 runs. He dismissed Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Travis Head, finishing with figures of 3/58 in four overs.

The More Runs He Scores, the More Runs We Have to Defend - Jofra Archer on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Jofra Archer praised young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after his explosive innings in the Eliminator. Archer said that big scores from the teenage opener reduce pressure on the bowling attack and give the team a stronger chance of defending totals.

“It was very exciting, the more runs he scores, the more runs we have to defend. So, you know, he can go on and get 150. So it's good for the bowlers when he gets a lot of runs,” Archer said.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a match-winning knock of 97 runs off just 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 15-year-old has emerged as one of Rajasthan Royals’ biggest performers this season alongside Archer and has played a major role in the team’s run to Qualifier 2.

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New Delhi [India], May 28 (ANI): The Indian men’s football team suffered a 0-2 loss to Jamaica in the semi-final of the Unity Cup 2026 at The Valley, London, on Wednesday.

On a night filled with anticipation, emotion, and several personal milestones for the Indian squad, it was Jamaica’s superior cutting edge that made the difference. Courtney Clarke’s stunning early strike in the eighth minute and Kaheim Dixon’s solo effort in the 78th minute ensured the Reggae Boyz marched into the final, according to a press release from AIFF Media.

India will face Zimbabwe, who went down to Nigeria in the first semi-final on Tuesday, in the third-place play-off on May 30 at 19:00 IST. Nigeria will meet Jamaica in a repeat of last year’s final.

The match marked several important individual moments. Noufal PN and Ricky Shabong made their senior national team debuts, while Edmund Lalrindika was handed his first-ever start for India.

Before the Blue Tigers, playing their first match on British soil since 2002, could settle into rhythm, Jamaica struck with ruthless efficiency.

A quick Jamaican counter sliced through India’s shape in the eighth minute, forcing Gurpreet Singh Sandhu into a sharp save from a tight angle. Yet the danger was far from over. India failed to clear their lines, and Clarke intercepted a loose pass before scoring in emphatic fashion. With composure, he shifted the ball onto his right foot before unleashing a breathtaking strike into the top-right corner beyond Sandhu’s desperate dive.

Jamaica, placed 71st in the FIFA Rankings, continued to attack with confidence, stretching the Indian defence through the wings and exploiting spaces with alarming ease. Dixon nearly doubled the advantage in the 17th minute when he burst through on goal, but Sandhu stood tall and made a brave stop to keep India alive.

As the half wore on, India slowly managed to steady itself. There were flashes of neat passing and moments of controlled possession, but the Blue Tigers lacked creativity in the final third. Ryan Williams, Chhangte, and Lalrindika struggled to influence the game, and India reached half-time without seriously testing Jamaica goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke.

Yet India emerged after the break with greater urgency and belief.

The Blue Tigers nearly found a lifeline in the 53rd minute after a mistake from the Jamaican defence and goalkeeper. Roshan seized upon a loose ball and played Rahim Ali through on goal after the striker had replaced Lalrindika at half-time. However, Ali had strayed offside, so Chhangte’s follow-up finish into the empty net did not count.

The chance, though, transformed the momentum of the match. India suddenly looked alive. Khalid Jamil’s men tried to make a match of it in the second half, pushing higher up the pitch and probing the Jamaican defence with far greater intent. The Blue Tigers finally began asking questions, forcing Jamaica onto the back foot during their best spell of the contest.

But just when India seemed capable of finding a way back, Dixon produced a moment of magic that put paid to all their hopes.

The Charlton Athletic winger, playing at his home stadium, collected the ball near the edge of the area in the 78th minute and danced past defenders with dazzling footwork. With one quick drop of the shoulder, he created space before drilling a low shot through Akash Mishra’s legs and into the far bottom corner beyond Sandhu.

India’s resistance faded after the second strike as Jamaica comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest to book their place in the final. (ANI)

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