Kaur sets record, England rally and Australia level series in Lahore

Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s captain, has etched her name into the history books once more, becoming the most-capped women’s international cricketer during the third T20I against England in Taunton. Making her 368th appearance, she surpassed New Zealand’s Suzie Bates, who now trails by a single cap. The record is likely to stand for some time: Bates has announced she will retire from international cricket after the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026, removing the only active player in touching distance. Ellyse Perry of Australia sits third on 357, a mark that underlines the longevity of the modern greats but also the shifting landscape of the women’s game.

England, however, spoiled the occasion for the visitors. Chasing 180, the hosts wrapped up the series 2-1 thanks to a 137-run stand between Alice Capsey and Heather Knight, who both found timely form under personal pressure. The partnership, the second-highest for England for the fourth wicket or lower in T20Is, completed the highest successful chase ever recorded in the format on English soil. For India, it was a dispiriting collapse with the ball, wasting a commanding total and handing the series momentum to England ahead of the global tournament that begins on 12 June.

Thousands of miles away in Lahore, Australia’s makeshift men’s side drew their own three-match ODI series level at one apiece. On a slow, turning surface that spun sharply, Nathan Ellis led an inexperienced attack with 4 for 33, helping bowl Pakistan out for 190 in pursuit of 232. Half-centuries from Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw and the teenager Ollie Peake had earlier given the tourists a defendable total after being sent in. Spin was decisive: Matthew Short’s part-time off-breaks claimed three wickets, while Adam Zampa, fit again, joined Matt Kuhnemann and Tanveer Sangha in choking the chase.

Pakistan’s reply flickered only briefly. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi became only the third Pakistan skipper to take a wicket with the first ball of an ODI – joining Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis – when he bowled Alex Carey. But a top-order collapse left them at 78 for six, and although Shadab Khan fought valiantly with the tail, adding small but defiant partnerships, the target proved too steep. Viewed from Dhaka, the narrative was one of wasted resistance, as local reports noted Shadab’s lone battle could not mask familiar batting frailties.

Scroll forward, and the global calendar is already exacting a toll. Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins has conceded he may skip next year’s Indian Premier League to preserve his body for a gruelling stretch of up to 21 Tests in a year, including away series against South Africa, India and England ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup at home. “Something has to give,” Cummins said recently, signalling that even the game’s most lucrative league may be sacrificed on the altar of Ashes preparation. As the sport’s three formats jostle for space and players near breaking point, the feats of Kaur, Ellis and Afridi offer a reminder of the individual brilliance that keeps the creaking machinery in motion.