Lord's Test: Indian eves beat England, create history at 'Home of Cricket'

London: The first women's Test match between the Indian and English women's teams took place at Lord's from July 10 to July 13. The Indian team created history by winning this match by 270 runs, etching their names in the record books. Under the captaincy of Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian team became the first women's team to win a Test match at Lord's. It took the Indian women just four days to achieve this milestone. In contrast, the Indian men's team had to wait 54 years and play 11 matches to secure a Test victory at Lord's; they tasted success in their 11th match after suffering defeats in the previous ten. The women's team, however, achieved victory in their very first Test match at the venue.

When did Indian Men's Team Win their first Test at Lord's? 

The Indian men's team played its first Test match at Lord's from June 25–28, 1932, suffering a crushing 158-run defeat at the hands of England. Subsequently, the team faced defeat in nine consecutive Test matches leading up to 1982. After losing ten straight Tests at Lord's, India finally secured a victory in their 11th match in 1986—54 years later. Kapil Dev was the captain of Team India at the time. 
The match was played between June 5 and June 10, 1986, with India winning by five wickets. Kapil Dev was named 'Player of the Match'; he took one wicket for 67 runs in the first innings and four wickets for 52 runs in the second, while also scoring an unbeaten 23. Dilip Vengsarkar scored a magnificent century in the first innings, playing an innings of 126 runs. India made history with this victory. 

How did Indian women's team create history? 

Regarding the lone women's Test match played at Lord's, the game began on July 10, 2026. The England team decided to bowl first. Batting first, India scored 285 runs in their first innings. In response, England was bowled out for 170 runs. Kranti Gaud took five wickets for 37 runs in 17 overs, effectively breaking the back of the English batting lineup. She became the first female cricketer to have her name inscribed on the Lord's Honours Board. India secured a 115-run lead in the first innings. In the second innings, Team India scored 341 runs and declared the innings. Yastika Bhatia scored a century, becoming the first female cricketer to achieve this feat at Lord's. Chasing a target of 457 runs, England was bowled out for just 186 runs in their second innings, handing India a victory by 270 runs. India won the match on July 13—the fourth day of play—meaning the Indian women's team created history in just four days.