Wed Jul 16 12:50:00 UTC 2025: **India and England Clash in ODI Series Ahead of World Cup**

**Southampton, UK** – As the Women’s ODI World Cup looms, India and England are set to face off in a crucial five-match series, beginning Wednesday at The Rose Bowl in Southampton. The series comes hot on the heels of India’s 3-2 victory in the recent T20I series.

The pre-match press conference saw a lighthearted moment when England’s Kate Cross, referencing their time together at Mumbai Indians with Lottie Edwards, nearly crowned head coach Charlotte Edwards the “Queen of Mumbai Indians,” before swiftly correcting herself to bestow the title on India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Cross instead acknowledged Edwards as the “Queen of England cricket,”.

For India, the series presents an opportunity to fine-tune their squad. Injuries have forced the team to look to their reserves, and players like Sneh Rana and Shree Charani have stepped up. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur noted the “happy headache” of having increased squad depth. The batting lineup appears settled, but the series will provide a stern test against a strong England attack.

England, led by captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (returning after an injury) are seeking to bounce back after a disappointing T20I series. Coach Edwards acknowledged that India have pushed England hard, and anticipates a tough series. England underwent a recent “complete overhaul of the think-tank” so have everything to play for.

**Team News and Stats:**

* England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt returns from injury.
* India has a fully fit squad.
* Smriti Mandhana is nearing a milestone of top 10 all time run scorers, and Harmanpreet Kaur is close to joining the 4000-run club.
* The Rose Bowl’s only recent WODI saw spinners dominate.

**Quotes:**

“She is the queen of English cricket, isn’t she?” said Kate Cross of Head Coach Charlotte Edwards. “Lottie was the captain that gave me my debut cap.”

“We want to have six good bowling options, so that there’s no extra pressure on any bowler,” said Harmanpreet Kaur, outlining India’s objectives.

The match is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, July 16th, at 5:30 PM IST (1 PM Local).

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