It was just one run. It was much more than one run.
Yastika Bhatia gently drove Issy Wong to extra cover, ran for a single, raised her fisted left hand. She then removed her helmet, kissed it, knelt down, kissed the ground, made a prayer looking towards the sun, and raised her bat. The crowd, not a particularly big one, applauded.
Yastika has played some gorgeous shots to all parts of a cricket ground, but this was one run she will never forget. It was the run that took her to the Lord’s honours board.
The elegant left-hander from Vadodara became the first woman ever to make it to that prestigious board for scoring a Test hundred (113, 158b, 14×4). That was just a day after her teammate Kranti Gaud became the first woman to make it, for her five-wicket haul in the historic first Women’s Test at cricket’s most iconic venue.
This was Yastika’s day. She made it India’s day, too. This is very much India’s match now.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side needs just four more wickets. England, chasing an improbable 457, finished the third day at 130 for six.
India had declared at 341 for seven, and an early tea was taken.
Earlier, India resumed at 154 for one with two stylish left-handers at the wicket. Smriti Mandhana (70, 130b, 9×4, 1×6), however, didn’t last long; she tried to glance Lauren Bell fine and was beautifully caught one-handed behind by a diving Amy Jones.
Bell then bowled Jemimah Rodrigues through the gate. Yastika, at the end, was looking sublime after a bizarre start to the day, when Bell’s first ball hit the off-stump but the bails refused to budge. Off the next ball, however, she scored a boundary through a flowing drive. She also pulled with panache, and stepped out with authority.
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Richa Ghosh, the fellow wicketkeeper, then struck a 52-ball 50 not out (8×4) before India declared. Sophie Ecclestone also reserved a place on the honours board with figures of five for 118.
The English batters struggled against the sharp Indian attack yet again. Both the openers walked back towards Lord’s famous long room within three overs.
Then Kranti struck again. She accounted for Heather Knight, in her last Test innings, before Sneh Rana removed Nat Sciver-Brunt.
Jones (52 batting, 72b, 6×4) and Mady Villiers (26) ensured there would be a fourth day after all with their sixth-wicket stand of 67.
Published on Jul 12, 2026
