Sneh Rana’s all round performance (80* runs & 4 wickets) helped India draw the one-off Test against England Women on the fourth and final day on Saturday.
India were in a perilous position when all-rounder and number eight Rana came to the crease with her side 189/6 and just 24 runs ahead of England with plenty of time remaining in the game. But Rana was imperious, building substantial partnerships with Shikha Pandey (18) and Taniya Bhatia (44*) to see out the rest of the day in style.
The 27-year-old Rana and Bhatia shared 144 runs for the unbroken ninth wicket as they frustrated England bowlers for 30.4 overs.
India took an overall lead of 179 runs with two second innings wickets in hand when the two sides decided to end the match.
Earlier, India resumed the day on 83/1 and suffered a disappointing start to proceedings when young opener Shafali Verma was dismissed by Sophie Ecclestone for 63, adding just eight runs to her overnight score.
A half-century from Deepti Sharma and a solid knock of 39 from Punam Raut helped India build a lead, but when the excellent Ecclestone bowled Sharma for 54 on the stroke of lunch it sparked a mini-collapse.
India lost three wickets for just four runs either side of the interval to give England hope of being able to chase down a gettable target on the final afternoon. But Rana had other ideas, and the all-rounder accepted the applause from England when Knight opted to shake hands for the draw, with any hope of a win for the home side long since gone.
England’s stand-out bowler Ecclestone finished with four wickets in each innings, while Rana – with 4/138 with the ball and that match-saving 80* – also shone.
The Player of the Match went to 17-year-old opening batter Shafali Verma, whose half-centuries in each innings wrote her into the record books.
Brief Scores:
England Women 1st innings: 396/9 decl
India Women: 231 and 344 for 8 in 121 overs (Sneh Rana 80 not out, Shafali Verma 63, Deepti Sharma 54; Sophie Ecclestone 4/118).
