The second match of the 2025 World Champions League at Edgbaston turned into a thrilling contest as the South Africa Champions beat the West Indies Champions in a bowl-out after a tied game under the DLS method. With rain reducing the match to 11 overs per side, South Africa elected to bowl first. West Indies struggled to gain momentum, and despite their low total, the bowlers kept it alive until the last ball. The match was concluded with the scores being level at 79 and 80 each, with South Africa being declared the winner after they won the bowl-out 2-0.

West Indies Champions Innings

Batting first in the curtailed format, West Indies were limited to 79/5 in 11 overs. Lendl Simmons scored the top 28 from 21 balls, and Chadwick Walton scored 27 from 21. The middle order didn't capitalize, and the run rate never picked up as the South African bowlers were tight. Aaron Phangiso starred with figures of 2/19, while Hardus Viljoen and JJ Smuts chipped in with one wicket each. The total looked below par, but it gave their bowlers something to fight with.

South Africa Champions Innings

South Africa’s chase began steadily, with Sarel Erwee setting the tone with a fluent 27 off 18 balls. Hashim Amla added 15, but wickets fell regularly to stop momentum. JP Duminy made a useful contribution with 25, and got it close to the end until South Africa lost him and Van Wyk in the last three balls with just 2 needed, leaving them with a tied finish. West Indies bowlers, led by Sheldon Cottrell (2/16), Fidel Edwards (2/21), and Sulieman Benn (1/6), nearly pulled off an improbable win.

The match was decided via a bowl-out, where both teams missed their first three attempts. JJ Smuts and Wayne Parnell finally hit the stumps for South Africa, while the West Indies Champions failed all five times. South Africa was declared the winner, sealing one of the most dramatic finishes in WCL history.

See Also: WCL 2025, Match 1: England Champions vs Pakistan Champions full match highlights

West Indies Champions vs South Africa Champions: Match Scorecard

West Indies Champions – 79/5 (11 Overs)

South Africa Champions – 80/6 (11 Overs)

The opening match of the 2025 World Champions League (WCL) between the Pakistan Champions and the England Champions was held in Edgbaston, Birmingham. England won the toss and chose to bowl first, hoping to establish early wickets. However, Pakistan Champions demonstrated an all-around performance, especially with the ball in the death overs of the innings. While the England top order put up strong resistance, Pakistan managed to keep their composure towards the end to pull off victory by a narrow margin of 5 runs. The match went down to the last over, giving a dramatic opening to the WCL 2025 tournament.

Pakistan Champions Innings

Pakistan Champions set a competitive total of 160/9 in their 20 overs. Captain Mohammad Hafeez played an excellent knock of 54 off 34 balls and provided stability for the innings. Aamer Yamin provided a late flourish with a quickfire 27 runs off 13 deliveries. Sohail Tanvir also contributed with a useful 17 off 11 balls to boost the score. However, England's bowlers continued to pick wickets at intervals, with Liam Plunkett (2/28) and Chris Tremlett (2/36) picking up crucial wickets, while Ryan Sidebottom got 1/18 in 3 overs.

England Champions Innings

In pursuit of 161 for victory, the England Champions got off to a steady start but couldn't maintain the momentum when it mattered. Phil Mustard anchored the innings with 58 off 51 balls, while Ian Bell added impetus with a fluent 51 off 35 balls. However, a lack of finishing power in the final overs proved costly for England. Pakistan's bowlers tightened the screws at the death overs. Rumman Raees (1/14), Aamer Yamin (1/27), and Sohail Tanvir (1/41) held their nerve to seal a narrow 5-run win for Pakistan.

See Also: 'Prepare him for surgical strikes... ' - Former India coach's intriguing advice for Jasprit Bumrah during ENG vs IND 2025 series

England Champions vs Pakistan Champions: Match Scorecard

Pakistan Champions – 160/9 (20 Overs)

England Champions—155/3 (20 Overs)

England Women beat India Women by 5 wickets in a last-ball thriller to close out the series on a high at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Despite Shafali Verma’s explosive 75 (41) guiding India to a strong total of 167/7, England chased down the target, finishing at 168/5 in their 20 overs. With this win, England pulled one back, but India still clinched the five-match series 3–2.

India Women Innings

India was put in to bat first and got off to a flier, thanks to Shafali Verma’s explosive knock of 75 off 41 balls, which featured multiple boundaries and well-timed strokes. She utilized the power play full throttle and set the tone early on with attacking intent. Richa Ghosh (24 off 16) was also good company in the middle overs with her aggressive play style, rotating strike, and making gaps. But after the dismissal of Shafali, India's run momentum dipped. England bowlers Charlie Dean (3/23) and Sophie Ecclestone (2/28) hit at regular intervals and curbed the run flow. India, after a bright beginning, were limited to 167/7 from their 20 overs, just below par on a good batting pitch.

England Women Innings

Pursuing 168, England Women built their innings on a strong opening stand, with Danielle Wyatt-Hodge smashing 56 from 37 balls, anchoring the chase brilliantly. She was ably supported by Sophia Dunkley (46 off 30), who played some elegant shots and kept the scoreboard ticking. Tamsin Beaumont (30 off 20) made some crucial runs to maintain the required run rate. But India came back through Deepti Sharma (2/31) and Arundhati Reddy (2/47), which made the game go to the final over. It finished with 6 runs needed from the final over to bring it down to the final ball. England held their nerves and completed the chase at 168/5, sealing a thrilling 5-wicket win.

ENG W vs IND W, 5th T20I – Key Moments

• The young opener blasted 75 off 41 balls, setting up a solid platform and anchoring India’s innings. Her aggressive approach early on put England on the back foot.
  
• Just when India appeared set for a 180+ total, Charlie Dean's 3 wickets halted run scoring in the middle overs.
  
• Danielle Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley put together a much-needed partnership, keeping the required run rate in check through some good but calculated aggression.
  
• England kept their never needing 6 runs off the final over, achieving that on the last ball of the match, handling India with a rare defeat after an otherwise dominant English tour. 
  
• Despite the defeat, India secured a series win, 3-2, their first T20I series win in England, a huge step in India's white-ball journey.

See Also: WATCH: Relive fight between Indian captain and England openers during closing over of ENG vs IND 3rd Test

ENG W vs IND W, 5th T20: Match Scorecard

India Women Innings – 167/7 (20 Overs)

England Women Innings – 168/5 (20 Overs)

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is turning out to be one of the most intriguing India-England test rubbers to have ever been contested. After a record chase of 371 runs by the Ben Stokes-led English team at Headingley, Leeds, India bounced back at Edgbaston in Birmingham to square the series at 1-1. With three more tests to be played, the battle is intensifying, and cricket is becoming scintillating. Both teams, fielding relatively younger sides as compared to the past, have evened out the clash, and this sets up beautifully for the rest of the English summer. 

The Shubman Gill-led India produced a fitting and emphatic reply to that embarrassing defeat in Leeds. The newly appointed test skipper became the protagonist of a famous win in Birmingham, to level the series. They outplayed England in all facets, thumped them to claim a win for the ages, and a first at the venue in their ninth attempt. Gill displayed a batting masterclass by scoring 430 runs in two innings and becoming the batter with the second-highest aggregate in a test match, behind Graham Gooch's 456 against India in 1990. At 25 years and 301 days, the elegant Indian player also became the youngest skipper to win an overseas test. Akash Deep, the rising pace sensation, looked a class apart and returned the best match figures for an Indian bowler in England by finishing at 10/187. 

A victory as fashionable as this one brought with it several records, but none of them greater than the Indian team registering their biggest away win in a test match by a margin of runs. This Edgbaston classic of 2025 is now etched in history as the first one in that list, courtesy of England being vanquished by a humongous margin of 336 runs. This creates curiosity among the statkeepers about other such test wins by India, ranking behind in the order. A magnified look into them might help understand the magnitude of those wins and the simultaneous ignominy inflicted on the opposition. 

See Also: [WATCH] ENG vs IND 2025: "Where Is He?" - Shubman Gill looks for Journalist who reminded him of Edgbaston record

HISTORY BY SHUBMAN GILL & HIS TEAM. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/pmFIDYrenV

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 8, 2025

List of wins are;

North Sound, Antigua, 2019

India's first-ever test match in the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) 2019-21 cycle was against the West Indies in the Caribbean. Having been sent in to bat at the North Sound in Antigua, the Virat Kohli-led India went all-out for 297 runs but with sizeable contributions from KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, and Ravindra Jadeja. Ishant Sharma's five-fer restricted the opposition to 222, helping take a valuable lead. In the second innings, India set the West Indies a mammoth target of 419 runs, courtesy of a century from Rahane and fifty-plus scores from Kohli and Vihari. In their chase, the home team bundled out for a meagre 100 runs. Jasprit Bumrah was at the heart of the bowling by bagging gobsmacking figures of 8-4-7-5 in a lethal spell. India eventually won by 318 runs, their biggest away test win at that time. 

Galle, Sri Lanka, 2017

India toured Sri Lanka for an all-format series in July-August 2017. It began with the tests, and the first match was played at the picturesque Galle stadium. Opting to bat, India posted a massive total of 600 runs, with huge 150-plus scores from Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara. The hosts scored 291 runs in their first reply. With Virat Kohli leading the charge with a hundred in the second innings, Sri Lanka were set a gigantic total of 550 runs to chase. However, they were bundled out at just 245 runs, conceding the match to India by 304 runs. 

Perth, Australia, 2024

In the biggest series of 2024, India toured Down Under for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Entering the Australian shores while having been in rough waters before, courtesy of an infamous home series loss against the Kiwis, the Indians had their task cut out. The pressure was to retain the trophy and also put forward a strong stake for the imminent WTC final. The backs were against the wall, and the chips were down. But against all the adversities, India produced a magical and memorable performance in the first test at Perth, shunning the Aussies and their media alike. Choosing to bat, India could only manage a paltry total of 150, but stunned the hosts by bowling them out for even lower, a team score of just 104 runs. In the second turn, India turned the tables and outbatted the Aussies by accumulating 487 runs through essential contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli. While chasing, Jasprit Bumrah's bowling heroics foxed the opposition batters, and India, in unbelievable circumstances, defeated Australia by 295 runs. 

Leeds, England, 1986

The Kapil Dev-led India toured Great Britain in 1986. In the second test match at Leeds in June, the Indians scripted a historical win over the Englishmen. Coming into this one on the back of a victory in the first game in London, India's World Cup-winning captain in 1983, elected to bat. In both innings, they scored 272 and 237 runs respectively, with impactful contributions from Dilip Vengsarkar (61 and 102). He also went on to win the man of the match award. England, in their batting scorecard, could only manage 102 and 128 runs, respectively, in their two innings, with Roger Binny scalping the most number of wickets. India claimed a victory by 279 runs and took an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the series.  

Shubman Gill was brimming with confidence after leading India to a historic Test victory at Edgbaston, Birmingham, the team's first-ever win at the venue. India had previously lost seven and drawn one of their eight Tests at the iconic ground, making this 336-run win even more special. Gill played a captain’s knock in both innings, scoring 269 and 161, setting the tone for the memorable result.

After the win, during the post-match press conference, Shubman lightheartedly looked around the media room, searching for a particular face. “I can't see my favorite journalist. Where is he? I wanted to see him,” he said with a smile. The journalist had reminded him before the match about India’s poor record at Edgbaston, something Gill clearly used as motivation.

The young skipper reiterated that he doesn't believe in history or statistics. Instead, he spoke with belief and pride about the team’s potential. “I even said before the Test match that I don't really believe in history and stats. Over the last 56 years or so, we've played nine matches; different teams have come here. I believe we are the best team to have come here to England, and we have the capability to beat them, to win the series from here,” he said confidently.

"This Indian Team Is One of the Best to Tour England."

Shubman went on to praise the balance and strength of his side, especially the bowling attack. “I think I said this before the match as well: this Indian team is one of the best to have toured England. The best 16 are chosen to play for the country,” he added.

Watch the video here

'The best Indian team to come to England'

Shubman Gill never bought into India's winless history at Edgbaston 🗣️ #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/7YhEYGyEcZ

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 7, 2025

See Also: 'Who Would Want To Be A Bowler Over There?' - Pat Cummins after India’s win in 2nd Test vs England at Edgbaston

He also stressed that India’s bowling unit can take 20 wickets, with or without star pacer Jasprit Bumrah. “I believe all our bowlers have the ability to chip in at any time and help us take 20 wickets. Definitely, Jasprit bhai is one of the best bowlers in the world. But regardless of that, any bowling unit of ours can take 20 wickets anywhere, and this was an example of that.” The five-match series is currently tied 1-1, with the third Test set to begin at Lord’s on Thursday, July 10.

Australia captain Pat Cummins took a cheeky dig at the flat pitches being used in the ongoing India vs. England Test series. In the first two games of the five-match series, only one team has been bowled out for under 300, with batters largely dominating proceedings. In contrast, Australia's tour of the Caribbean has been a bowler’s paradise, with fiery pitches offering plenty of assistance. Australia bowled out West Indies for just 143 in Grenada to seal a 2-0 series win, with only one total above 300 across the series.

Cummins, speaking after the 133-run victory in Grenada, admitted he hadn't been watching much of the India-England series but didn't hold back in his assessment. "I wasn't (watching India vs. England); probably Marnus (Labuschagne) was, we'll keep an eye on it. Who'd want to be a bowler over there?" Cummins said, poking fun at the lifeless surfaces. "Looking at Test cricket this week over here compared to that, it looks like two different sports. It looks like it is going to be a good series, 1-1 now."

The Edgbaston pitch, in particular, has come under scrutiny. It was even labelled a "subcontinent pitch" by England skipper Ben Stokes after his side lost seven wickets on the final day to allow India to level the series. The flat nature of the surface has made life difficult for the bowlers, drawing criticism from several quarters.

Shubman Gill Wants Better Balance Between Bat and Ball

India’s captain Shubman Gill also expressed his frustration over the lack of support for bowlers. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Gill pointed out how hard his bowlers had to work just to get any help from the surface. “It gets very difficult for the bowlers. Even more than the wicket, the ball is going soft and out of shape very quickly. I don't know what it is—weather, wickets, or whatever—but it gets very difficult for the bowlers to get wickets in these conditions,” he said.

See Also: 'India Are Not Afraid Of Bazball' - Former England spinner bold take after ENG vs IND Edgbaston Test

He further added, “I think there should be a little help at least. If the ball is doing something, you enjoy playing. If you know there are only 20 overs of any help and then you have to spend the rest of the day on the defensive, thinking how to stop runs, then the game loses its essence.” With the ENG vs. IND series now level at 1-1, the all-important third Test will be played at Lord’s from Thursday, July 10.

India’s thumping 336-run win over England at Edgbaston has made a strong statement, with former England spinner Monty Panesar saying that the visitors have shown they are not afraid of England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach. This victory was not only India’s first-ever Test win at Edgbaston but also their biggest away win in terms of runs. With the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series now level at 1-1, India will head into the third Test at Lord’s with great momentum.

Speaking to IANS, Panesar said, “India will gain a lot of confidence from this. It shows they're not afraid of England's Bazball approach. There's a great deal of excitement and belief in the team. Shubman Gill has shown exceptional leadership; also, he has batted really well.” India was under pressure after a five-wicket loss in Leeds and entered the game without Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. But Akash Deep stepped up in a big way to fill the gap.

The fast bowler produced a remarkable spell on a flat pitch, taking 10 wickets in the match to become only the second Indian bowler after Chetan Sharma to claim a ten-wicket haul in England. He got great support from Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, who each chipped in with a wicket in England’s second innings.

Shubman Gill's Captaincy and Akash Deep's Brilliance Stand Out

The win was also a big personal achievement for Shubman Gill, who led the team to victory in his first Test as captain. With scores of 269 and 161, Gill ended the match with 430 runs—the second-highest in Test history behind Graham Gooch’s 456, which also came against India in 1990.

See Also: MLC 2025: Points Table, leading run scorers, and wicket takers after LAS vs SF Match 30

Panesar praised India’s bowling unit for taking all 20 wickets, saying it’s a big achievement. He added, “They've found a solid bowling combination, and with Jasprit Bumrah likely to return for the next match, the bowling attack will only get stronger. Akash Deep has an excellent average with the new ball. He's a genuine new-ball bowler, and he bowled really well—a remarkable comeback for him.”

Panesar also highlighted England’s problems, especially the performance of Shoaib Bashir, who gave away 286 runs in the match. “It’s troubling for England that their spinner can’t even deliver maiden overs consistently,” he said. The two teams now move to London for the third Test at Lord’s starting July 10, with the series finely balanced.

While India created history by winning their first Test match at Edgbaston in Birmingham, and that too by a record-breaking margin, the right-arm pacer Akash Deep was one of the heroes by recording a rare 10-fer at the special Test venue. After the Test match, the 28-year-old Indian pacer dedicated his unforgettable match-winning performance to his sister, which has a special story. 

India won the Edgbaston Test by 336 runs to level the series by 1-1 after the second Test in the five-match Test series in England, Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. It was India's largest Test-winning margin by runs outside India and the fourth largest Test-winning margin by runs overall. 

See Also: 'Akash se Akash tak' - Fans react as Akash Deep registers his maiden five wicket haul in ENG vs IND 2nd Test

Akash Deep recorded best bowling figures in a Test match by an Indian in England

Akash Deep was playing his eighth Test, as he made a comeback in the Test match as a replacement for India's prime pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested from the match. While bowlers were struggling in the Edgbaston Test, as the pitch mostly favoured the batters, Akash Deep had the bowling figures of 41.4-4-187-10 in the complete match. After picking up four wickets in England's first innings of the match (4/88), where his new-ball partner Mohammed Siraj recorded a six-fer (6/70), Akash Deep recorded his first five-wicket haul in his Test career in the fourth innings of the Test match and ended with the innings bowling figures of 21.1-2-99-6.

With the 10/187, Arshdeep recorded the best bowling performance in a Test match by an Indian bowler in England. Chetan Sharma was the only other Indian bowler to claim a ten-wicket haul in a Test match in England, with bowling figures of 53.3-6-188-10 in Birmingham in 1986. 

Akash Deep dedicated the Test match to his sister 

After the Test match, while Akash Deep had an interview with the Indian broadcaster, he dedicated this Test match performance to his sister, who has been suffering from cancer over the last two months. While the Indian pacer added that his sister is doing well and stable, he also added that she suffered a lot last two months.

AKASH DEEP DEDICATED THE PERFORMANCE TO HIS SISTER 🥹❤️

- His Sister is suffering from Cancer in last 2 months, now she is doing well & stable but she has suffered a lot in last 2 months so dedicating the performance to her. pic.twitter.com/lWJv05gMCS

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 6, 2025

Here is the video of Akash Deep dedicating his record-breaking Edgbaston Test performance to his sister

Akashdeep's sister is suffering from cancer. He dedicated his performance to her. #INDvENG #ENGvsIND #TeamIndia #AkashDeep pic.twitter.com/0MEAmhzuqk

— Shankar Singh (@Shanky_Parihar) July 6, 2025

India's decision to delay their declaration in the second innings of the second Test versus England has faced backlash from a number of former players and cricket analysts. Even though the Shubman Gill-led side held a sizeable lead, they batted for almost an hour in the third session on day 4 before declaring and setting England a target of 608 runs. This left India with just over three sessions and one hour to bowl out England and push for a win.

With rain predicted on the fifth day, which eventually caused delays, many felt that India had wasted precious time. Critics pointed out that the declaration came too late. Former England cricketer Ian Ward suggested that India was playing mind games with England, especially after Ben Stokes had made his team's fourth-innings chasing confidence very clear.

Before the match, Stokes had boldly stated, "We're confident in our abilities to be able to go out and chase when we have to bat in the fourth innings." That statement came after England had successfully chased 371 in the first Test at Leeds.

Experts React to India's Strategy

Speaking on Sky Sports, Ian Ward said, "We always hear England and Ben Stokes say, 'we'll try to chase anything to win.' India is just playing on that here; that's the only reason I can think of as to why they've declared so late. They're playing on England's ego, confidence, mantra, or whatever you want to call it."

See Also: ENG vs IND 2025: Revised session timings for 2nd Test between England and India at Edgbaston

Mark Butcher, another former England player, also questioned India’s approach, calling the timing of the declaration "a bit baffling." He added, "It is a legacy, a tribute, to the fear Stokes and England put into teams when setting fourth-innings targets. India wants to make sure England is completely and utterly out of it, and then you ask a team reticent to draw games whether they can do it. India could have given themselves more time to win the game by scoring faster."

"But whether that turns out to be the right thing to do, we will find out tomorrow, but for now it is a little bit baffling," Butcher concluded.

The final day of the second Test between India and England is set to begin at 5:10 PM IST (12:40 PM local time) after a rain delay of around one hour and forty minutes. Rain disrupted the start of play at Edgbaston in Birmingham, pushing the action back and leading to changes in the day’s schedule.

Due to the delay, ten overs have officially been lost from the day’s play. As a result, only 80 overs will be bowled on Day 5, weather permitting. The game is still expected to be exciting as both teams look to finish strong in this crucial match of the series.

To adjust for the lost time, the sessions have been revised. The first session will run from 12:40 PM to 2:30 PM local time (5:10 PM to 7:00 PM IST), followed by lunch. The second and third sessions have also been rescheduled to ensure as much play as possible on the final day.

Revised Session Timings for Day 5

• 1st Session: 12:40 PM–2:30PM local time (5:10 PM PM IST)
• Lunch: 2:30 PM – 3:10 PM local time (7:00 PM – 7:40 PM IST)
• 2nd Session: 3:10 PM–5:10PM local time (7:40 PM–9:40PM IST)
• Tea: 5:10 PM–5:30 PM local time (9:40 PM–10:00 PM IST)
• 3rd Session: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM local time (10:00 PM – 11:30 PM IST)

The lunch break was delayed by an hour and a half to help recover time lost to the rain. The final two sessions are expected to proceed without further interruptions, giving both teams a chance to push for a result.

See Also: 'We're on Target ' - JCA president confident Sabina Park will be ready for first day-night Test

India in Command at Edgbaston

India is in a strong position going into the final day. A brilliant century from captain Shubman Gill, along with key contributions from KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja, helped India post a huge second-innings total of 427 runs.

England’s chase got off to a poor start on Day 4, losing Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root before stumps. Akash Deep starred with the ball, taking two of the three wickets. At stumps, England were 73 for 3, with Ollie Pope on 24* and Harry Brook on 16*.