Fri Jul 04 18:30:00 UTC 2025: **News Article: England Stumbles Again, India Takes Series Lead as Sciver-Brunt Injury Looms**
**Bristol, UK** – England suffered their second consecutive defeat to India at Bristol on Tuesday, falling short by 25 runs in their chase of 182. The loss has put them in a precarious position in the series, and fans are now anxiously awaiting news on captain Nat Sciver-Brunt’s fitness ahead of the crucial third match at the Oval on Friday.
Sciver-Brunt was sidelined for a significant portion of India’s innings due to a “tight hip” and looked hampered during her brief innings of 13. Her availability for the final match is now uncertain, with team officials set to assess her condition over the next 48 hours.
The match mirrored Saturday’s encounter, with England inserting India, conceding a high score, and then failing to mount a successful chase after losing early wickets. Tammy Beaumont’s half-century provided a glimmer of hope, but her run-out in the 12th over swung the momentum back to India. A late surge from Sophie Ecclestone proved insufficient, as she was run out on the final ball for 35.
Beaumont described her performance as “bittersweet,” emphasizing the need for the team to trust the process despite the setbacks. Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s struggles at the top of the order continued, further fueling questions about her place in the team.
Earlier, India, despite losing key wickets in the powerplay, accelerated impressively, propelled by half-centuries from Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur. Amanjot’s maiden international fifty was a standout performance, as she dominated the English spinners with ease. Rodrigues, familiar with English conditions, also capitalized on the pace of Lauren Filer.
Lauren Bell, recently ranked No. 4 in the ICC T20 bowling rankings, lived up to her billing by dismissing Rodrigues. However, Richa Ghosh’s aggressive innings, aided by a costly dropped catch by Beaumont, helped India reach a formidable total of 181 for four.
Despite the loss, Beaumont highlighted signs of improvement in the team’s fighting spirit compared to the previous game. England will need to regroup quickly and hope for positive news regarding Sciver-Brunt’s injury to stand a chance of leveling the series at the Oval on Friday.
First Piper 