Yastika Bhatia’s historic century puts India on brink of maiden women’s Test win at Lord’s

Yastika Bhatia etched her name into the history books with a magnificent century before India’s bowlers produced a disciplined display to leave the visitors on the verge of a historic first women’s Test victory at Lord’s, reducing England to 130/6 at stumps on Day Three of the one-off Test on Sunday.

Set a daunting target of 457 after India declared their second innings at 341/7, England crumbled under sustained pressure as Sayali Satghare, Kranti Gaud and Sneh Rana claimed two wickets apiece. The hosts still require an improbable 327 runs with just four wickets in hand, leaving India firmly in command heading into the final day.

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Earlier, Yastika starred with a superb 113, becoming the first woman to score a Test century at Lord’s and earning a place on the iconic honours board. She was well supported by Smriti Mandhana (70) and Richa Ghosh, whose unbeaten 50 helped India pile on the runs before captain Harmanpreet Kaur declared.

Resuming on 154/1, India suffered an early setback when Smriti added just one run to her overnight score before falling for 70, edging Lauren Bell down the leg side to Amy Jones. Bell struck again in her next over, producing a beautiful inswinger to bowl Jemimah Rodrigues through the gate.

Harmanpreet looked fluent during her 16-run cameo before Sophie Ecclestone trapped her lbw after England successfully reviewed the on-field decision.

Despite the wickets, Yastika remained composed. She brought up her second Test fifty in 86 balls before surviving two crucial moments, first when Bell clipped her off stump without dislodging the bails and later when Mady Villiers dropped a return chance with the batter on 86.

Making England pay, Yastika accelerated after lunch. Beginning the session on 91, she struck consecutive boundaries off Issy Wong before reaching her landmark with a single to cover off her 145th ball, becoming the first woman to score a Test hundred at Lord’s. Her innings also came after Kranti Gaud had secured a place on the honours board with a five-wicket haul in England’s first innings.

Drafted into the XI after Pratika Rawal suffered a laceration to her right knee, Yastika produced a composed yet authoritative knock, frequently finding the straight boundary and driving through the covers. Her memorable innings eventually ended on 113 when she was caught by Mady Villiers at point off Ecclestone.

Ecclestone completed her fourth five-wicket haul in women’s Tests, finishing with figures of 5-118, but India continued to score briskly. Richa took the attack to the England bowlers, bringing up a 52-ball half-century studded with eight boundaries, while Sayali added late impetus with three boundaries off Lauren Filer before Harmanpreet declared.

India’s declaration came after they amassed an imposing match aggregate of 626 runs.

England’s chase never gathered momentum. Kranti struck immediately to bowl Tammy Beaumont for a duck in what was her final international innings, after which the retiring opener received a guard of honour from the Indian players.

Sayali then trapped Maia Bouchier lbw before Sneh Rana removed Nat Sciver-Brunt with a delivery that turned sharply to hit the stumps. Kranti added another major wicket when Heather Knight inside-edged to short leg, with the former England captain also receiving a guard of honour from India as she walked off to warm applause.

Sayali continued her impressive spell by clean bowling Alice Capsey for 21 with a sharp inswinger.

Amid the collapse, Amy Jones stood tall with an unbeaten 52 off 72 balls. She shared a resilient 67-run partnership with Mady Villiers (26), briefly frustrating India before Richa Ghosh pulled off a sharp catch at silly point to give Sneh her second wicket.

Jones and Sophie Ecclestone (1 not out) safely negotiated the closing stages, but England remain in deep trouble, with India requiring just four wickets on the final day to script a memorable victory.