The Big Picture

After having already won the series in the 2nd ODI itself, the Women in Blue will look to go one step ahead and inflict a 3-0 whitewash on World Champions England as both sides' lock horns in the third and final ODI at Mumbai.

The Indian bowlers- both seam and spin, have been at the heart of India's win in the series thus far. While left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht spun a web around the visitors' to help her side defend 203 and claim a 66-run win in the first ODI, it was the turn of seam bowling duo of Shikha Pandey and Jhulan Goswami in the last game that rocked the English batting unit; claiming eight wickets between.

Smriti Mandhana [87], Jemimiah Rodrigues [48] and skipper Mithali Raj [91] have spearheaded the batting unit, but the biggest positive for India was the successful comeback of Poonam Raut, who chipped in with a handy 32. India's problem has been fledgling middle-order for some time now and Mithali and the team management will hope that Raut continues with her good work and converts the starts into substantial innings. Pressure will be on Indian lower-order too and a dead-rubber gives an ideal opportunity to the likes of Deepti Sharma, Mona Meshram and wicket-keeper Taniya Bhatiya to chip-in.

For the visitors, it has been the case of Natalie Sciver and to some extent, Heather Knight waging a lone battle with the bat. While the middle and lower-order has been unable to counter India's spin troika, the top-order has failed against incisive bowling of Shikha Pandey and Jhulan Goswami.

With the bowl, Anya Shrubsole [3 wickets], and Georgia Elwiss [3 wickets] have done seemingly well and the onus will be on them to put pressure on India's top-order in the absence of Sophie Ecclestone, who is ruled out due to a fractured hand.

It might be a dead-rubber but as the race to the direct qualification of the 2021 World Cup intensifies, both sides' will look to notch up the crucial two points.

Match Details

Venue- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Match Timing:- Thursday, February 28, 2019, 09:00 AM IST

Do you know?

• India has notched up four crucial points in the ICC Women ODI Championship, and a further two points will help them consolidate their second spot in the points table.
• This is India's second consecutive ODI series win against the World Champions in less than a year. Last April, the Women in Blue defeated the visitors 2-1.

Team News-

• India will look to field the same playing 11 that helped them take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
• England has been jolted by the injury to Sophie Ecclestone. The spinner has been ruled out from the remainder of the tour to a fractured hand.

Squad-

India Women: Mithali Raj [c], Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Mansi Joshi, Punam Raut, Harleen Deol, Jhulan Goswami, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia [wk], R Kalpana, Mona Meshram,

England Women: Heather Knight [c], Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor [wk], Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Alex Hartley