Why is India vs England at Lord's making cricket history?

Last updated: July 10, 2026, 12:42 BST

Canadian cricket followers have a rare piece of history to watch: England and India are playing the first women's Test ever staged at Lord's. India reached 102-3 on the opening day after England chose to bowl, with Smriti Mandhana scoring the ground's first fifty in a women's Test. The four-day match combines a live contest between two leading sides with a milestone that took decades to arrive.

Setting the Scene

Lord's has hosted men's Test cricket since 1884 and had staged 150 men's Tests before this week, yet no women's Test had been played there. The landmark fixture comes 50 years after England and Australia played a women's one-day international at the ground in 1976.

The contrast with that earlier era is stark. Women playing at Lord's in 1976 could not walk through the Long Room and were not allowed to become members of Marylebone Cricket Club. On Friday, former England women cricketers gathered on the outfield to ring the five-minute bell before both teams walked through the Long Room to the field.

The match also arrives amid a crowded schedule. England returned to Lord's only days after losing the T20 World Cup final to Australia, while India had been eliminated earlier in the tournament. The scarcity of women's Tests adds another layer: England last played the format in January 2025, and India have played only six Tests since 2021.

Here's What Happened

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt won the toss and chose to bowl, saying the morning offered the best chance to get something from the surface before prolonged sunshine. England gave Test debuts to Alice Capsey and Mady Villiers, while India handed a debut to Shree Charani.

Lauren Filer struck quickly. She dismissed Shafali Verma for a duck with India on 4-1, before Lauren Bell bowled Yastika Bhatia for 12 at 37-2. England had the early wickets, but their seam attack struggled for consistency: CricViz data cited by the BBC showed only 18% of deliveries had landed on a good line and length, the lowest recorded for a seam unit on the first morning of a Test since that data began.

Mandhana then took control. She and Jemimah Rodrigues added fifty from just 49 deliveries, the first fifty partnership in a women's Test at Lord's. Mandhana reached her own half-century from exactly 50 balls, with eight fours and one six, making it her quickest Test fifty.

Issy Wong finally broke the stand when Rodrigues dragged a wide delivery onto her stumps for 35. That left India at 101-3, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur joined Mandhana as England tried to slow the scoring. The BBC's live coverage had India at 102-3 shortly afterwards.

Test cricket

The longest international format. This women's match is scheduled across four days.

Maiden over

An over in which the batting team scores no runs. Sophie Ecclestone delivered the first maiden of the match.

Reactions & Responses

For both captains, the match carries meaning beyond the immediate score. India entered it hoping to recover confidence after their T20 World Cup disappointment, while England are trying to respond to defeat in the final at the same venue.

This Test match is a very big deal for us.

Sciver-Brunt also framed the occasion as something players had long wanted. She said England deserved the opportunity and hoped the team could give retiring opener Tammy Beaumont a memorable final international appearance.

I think we are pretty deserving of being here and we'll relish the opportunity.

The Bigger Picture

Mandhana's day already carries historical weight. By appearing in the match, the 29-year-old became the youngest woman to reach 300 international matches across formats. She then added the first half-century in a women's Test at Lord's, giving the opening day a personal milestone alongside the venue's larger one.

The fixture also exposes the tension around women's Test cricket. More than 30,000 tickets had been sold across the four days, yet one-off Tests remain squeezed between white-ball competitions and teams rarely get sustained preparation. England have not won a home Test since 2005, while India have lost only one of six Tests since 2021.

For Canadian viewers, the significance extends beyond the result. Cricket communities across Canada closely follow major England and India fixtures, and this match offers a rare example of a women's Test receiving a landmark stage, strong ticket demand and live international attention at the same time.

The Road Ahead

India's immediate task is to build from 102-3 with Mandhana still at the crease and Harmanpreet Kaur newly arrived. England need more consistent bowling after an expensive first session and will look to turn the Rodrigues wicket into a sustained period of pressure.

The match runs for four days, and the final result is still open. It is also Beaumont's last international appearance, giving England an additional storyline as the first women's Test at Lord's continues.