&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "IND-W vs ENG-W, One-off Test: India close in on crushing win after Yastika Bhatia's record-breaking century at Lord's")
Yastika Bhatia etched her name into cricket history with a magnificent century, becoming the first woman to score a Test hundred at Lord's as India tightened their grip on the inaugural women's Test against England on Sunday (July 12). Her superb knock anchored India's second innings of 341/7 declared, leaving England with a daunting target of 457 runs. The highest successful fourth-innings chase in women's Test history remains Australia's 198 against England in Sydney in 2011, highlighting the enormity of the task facing the hosts.
England's reply got off to a disastrous start as they slumped to 34/4 before Amy Jones produced a fighting unbeaten half-century to guide the home side to 130/6 at stumps, still requiring 327 more runs for victory. The contest will now extend into Monday's fourth and final day. There was no dream farewell for England veterans Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight. Beaumont, playing her final international match, was bowled for a golden duck by the impressive Kranti Gaud. The Indian players formed a guard of honour as Beaumont walked off the field.
Knight, who revealed after Saturday's play that she too would retire from international cricket after this Test, managed only 13 before being caught at short leg off Gaud. She also received a guard of honour as she left the field. Earlier in the day, Bhatia survived an early scare when Lauren Bell beat her with the first delivery of the morning. The ball clipped the off stump but failed to dislodge the bails, giving the left-hander a crucial reprieve. The 25-year-old capitalised on that moment with a fluent display of strokeplay. She showed no signs of nerves in the 90s and reached her maiden international century in any format after lunch.
Also Read: IND W vs ENG W: India's Yastika Bhatia becomes first woman to score Test century at Lord's
Bhatia moved to 99 with consecutive boundaries off Issy Wong before taking a quick single to complete her century from 145 balls, including 12 fours. She celebrated by punching the air as teammates applauded from the Lord's pavilion balcony.
Her landmark innings placed her alongside Indian men's legends Vinoo Mankad, Dilip Vengsarkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid as Test centurions at Lord's.
Trending Stories
)
Man pushes Russian humanoid robot. Watch what happens next
)
Coast Guard jet carrying DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin makes emergency landing after engine failure
)
Trump says he’s ‘happy’ Harry and Meghan left US , calls them disrespectful
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How the Su-30MKI flies up to 8,000 kilometres using mid-air refueling
)
Nigerian Navy discovers 99,000 litres of suspected stolen, illegally refined products as it intensifies anti-crude oil theft operations
)
2,000 pairs of underwear buried in Switzerland revealed something startling
)
Pakistan faces growing hunger crisis amid rising food insecurity
)
Over 100 children aged 12 & below in UK may have been forced into marriage | Gravitas
)
Houthis target Yemen with ballistic missiles, Yemeni army downs several drones
)
No selfies with God, no reels inside: Tamil Nadu CM bans smartphones in temples | Gravitas
)
Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down Pak fighter jet retires, takes up private job
)
Report: Egypt eyes new Rafale F4 deal amid air force modernisation push
)
Xi Jinping urges Middle East nations to reject ‘external’ interference, seek new ‘security architecture’
)
Rubio on Modi-Pezeshkian meeting: 'No country should help Iran evade sanctions'
)
WION Exclusive: Hasina says she reads father’s unfinished memoir while planning Dhaka return
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI uses a giant air brake on its back instead of its wings
)
‘This is real’: Hegseth’s post on Canadian military woman sparks controversy
)
Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy creates history with 350 not out in South Africa
)
Iran attacks Bahrain, Iraqi Kurdistan as Trump claims ‘total control’ of Hormuz; Houthis back Tehran, Peru cuts ties: What's happening
)
Republican Senator Thom Tillis calls on Trump to fire Pete Hegseth over his 'inept management' of military
)
Beginning of the end? More glacial lake outbursts threaten millions in India, Nepal and China
)
TN CM Vijay opens Mettur dam for Cauvery delta irrigation, surprises farmer with visit
)
Pentagon just launched its AI portal with ChatGPT, Grok and Gemini
)
Trump suggests renaming Strait of Hormuz to ‘Trump Strait’
)
Pakistanis are eating less. What they are eating instead is even more alarming
)
Nepal floods: 1,204 dead, 4,216 missing as tearful relatives pray for the missing
)
EU and NATO step up pressure on Russia after Germany ‘escalation incidents’
)
Husband uses secret camera to record wife’s affair, wins divorce case, ends up in jail for spying
)
At least 2 killed in Minneapolis shooting, suspect also dead
)
Manipur violence: 25 houses torched in Manipur’s Kangpokpi a day after 10 homes were burnt along Imphal-Tamenglong road
)
US Mint releases $1 coins featuring Donald Trump, priced up to $154.50
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the glass canopy on the Su-30MKI has a distinct golden tint
)
India to host inaugural 2027 Women's Champions Trophy across Mumbai and Vadodara
Bhatia's memorable innings ended on 113 when she was caught at extra cover attempting to loft Sophie Ecclestone. She received a standing ovation from the crowd and congratulations from England players as she left the field. Ecclestone later completed figures of 5/118 from 33.3 overs, becoming only the second woman to take a five-wicket haul in a Test at Lord's after Gaud's outstanding 5/37 in England's first innings. Richa Ghosh added further momentum for India with a brisk unbeaten 50, increasing England's troubles after their recent T20 World Cup final defeat to Australia at Lord's.
Smriti Mandhana, who had impressed with 83 in the first innings and resumed on an unbeaten 69, added just one run before being caught down the leg side by Amy Jones. India now stand on the verge of a historic Test victory, with England needing an extraordinary effort on the final day to avoid defeat.
