England win ICC Women's Cricket world cup by 9 runs

Brit eves end innings with 228/7 on the board; Sciver is top scorer with 51 runs

England win the ICC Women's World Cup by nine runs at Lords in London on Sunday. India faltered in the final overs, as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.

After electing to bat first England scored 228 runs in 50 overs. India’s disciplined bowling led by veteran Jhulan Goswami, who took three wickets while conceding 23 runs, established a stranglehold over England’s batting line up after the 10th over. 

While chasing India lost crucial wickets at regular intervals, as Poonam Raut was trapped leg before for 86 and was refused a review by the umpire who claimed she took too much time to ask for one. Anya Shrubsole turned the match taking the key wickets of Raut, Krishnamurthy, Jhulan Goswami and Deepti Sharma. She ended her spell with a spectacular haul of 6 wickets conceding 46 runs.

Krishnamurthy got out trying to speed up scoring rate with 35 runs to her name. Goswami was out for a duck. 

Alex Hartley dismissed Harmanpreet Kaur at 51 runs in 80 balls. A fullish length ball of Hartley that's going down leg, and Harmanpreet Kaur nails the sweep of the middle straight to deep backward square leg. After the fall of Kaur's wicket Veda Krishnamurthy came to the crease ahead of Deepti Sharma.

India recovers from the early wicket of Smriti Mandhana and Captain Mitali Raj run out. Semi-final star Harmanpreet Kaur and Poonam Raut had 95-runs stand to bring India back into game.

A mix up lead to the fall of the wicket of the captain Mithali Raj. She was dismissed for 17.

India did not have the desired start as star opener Smiti Mandhana was dismissed for a duck. India were 18 for 1 in 5 overs.

Earlier, England had a steady start, not losing any wicket in first 60 balls. Then, Rajeshwari Gayakwad had Lauren Winfield bowled out around her legs. Winfield scored 24 runs in 35 balls. In the 15th over Poonam Yadav got the wicket of Tammy Beaumont (23 runs, 37 balls). Yadav also took the prized wicket of England captain Heather Knight, trapping her leg before.

Jhulan Goswami ended her excellent spell taking three important wickets which brought India back into the game. Goswami first got Sarah Taylor who was looking dangerous at 45 runs in 62 balls, breaking her 83-run stand with Natalie Sciver. In the next ball, she got the wicket of Fran Wilson, who made a golden duck. Goswami missed the hattrick as Katherine Brunt was able to hold her ground. She took her third wicket trapping Sciver in front of the wicket. Sciver scored 51 runs in 68 balls.

On the eve of the Women's World Cup final, BCCI announced a bonus of Rs 50 lakh for each member of the squad, irrespective of whether they win the World Cup or not.

Teams
 

England Women: Lauren Winfield, Tammy Beaumont, Sarah Taylor(w), Heather Knight(c), Natalie Sciver, Fran Wilson, Katherine Brunt, Jenny Gunn, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Alex Hartley

India Women: Smriti Mandhana, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj(c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Sushma Verma(w), Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav