There were days when nothing was happening – Yastika Bhatia

Yastika Bhatia marked her return to international cricket with a match-winning half-century against England at Chelmsford. The left-handed batter, recovering from a knee injury sustained in early September 2024, stroked a 40-ball 52 as India beat England by 38 runs in the first T20I.

After injuring her knee, Bhatia underwent ACL surgery in October. She missed the Women's Premier League and other international and domestic games. Her last India appearance had been in October 2024.

Speaking about her time away, Bhatia said: "Those who undergo ACL surgery, the whole muscle of that leg goes away. We have to build everything from scratch. After the surgery, it was pretty tough. There were days when nothing was happening. No progress was visible. But because of the support, I kept going, kept showing up and after months, I could see improvements."

Terming her half-century as 'really special', she added: "I'm really grateful. I'm coming back after a long time and the team has welcomed me very nicely. The injury time wasn't easy, but there were people backing me. My family was very supportive. The Centre of Excellence in Bangalore took care of me well – the physios and trainers. I'm very thankful to them and the surgeons. All the teammates and management were in touch. All's well that ends well."

The foundation of India's victory was built on a 126-run stand for the second wicket between Bhatia and Jemimah Rodrigues, as both scored half-centuries after India lost both openers cheaply in the first over.

Bhatia cut loose early, hitting three boundaries off Issy Wong in the second over. She took down Lauren Bell, Tilly Corteen-Coleman and Sophie Ecclestone, racing to 40 off 17 balls within the Powerplay as India picked up 73 runs in this period. However, once field restrictions ended, she was tied down, managing only 12 runs off her next 23 deliveries before being run out.

Praising Rodrigues, Bhatia said: "She was always having a conversation. Even if I missed one or two balls, she would tell me 'No problem, Yasti. You are batting like a dream, just keep playing.' She was very mature. Later, she got those boundaries and the flow. The strike rate changed the momentum again in our favour."

Bhatia, usually an opener, found a place in the side after several key players – including skipper Harmanpreet Kaur – were rested. She credited England's bowlers and fielders for pulling back momentum, stating: "They bowled pretty well after the Powerplay – to their fields, mixing deliveries well. Charlie Dean bowled very well, keeping it tight. They fielded exceptionally. At that time, it was tough for us. We can be smarter. I can be better in that phase, score more runs and try to get Jemi on strike."

Chasing 189, England were always behind. At 101/2 after 14 overs, a late assault was possible, but debutant pacer Nandni Sharma dismissed Amy Jones (top-scorer with 67) and took two wickets in two balls to crush England's hopes. She finished with 3 for 43 – the second best figures by an Indian pacer on Women's T20I debut.

Bhatia lauded: "She bowled beautifully. She came back well with her slower ones – that's her strength. She bowled to her strengths and got those wickets. On debut, it's exceptional. Nandni is a product of the WPL. It's good to see her come here and do so well. She was emotional. We all felt emotional seeing her debut. It's an exciting time for Indian cricket – whoever comes into the XI is making a statement and contributing."