England are denied despite Rhodes’s and Fisher’s efforts

Both sides struggled with the bat in a tense semi-final but, with Pakistan at 142-7 chasing 205, England would have fancied their chances of reaching the final.

However, an eighth-wicket partnership of 63 between Pakistan’s Zafar Gohar and Amad Butt got their team over the line with five balls to spare.

Earlier, Yorkshire’s Will Rhodes led his team from the front with an unbeaten 76, hitting four fours and a six in his 79-ball knock.

Coming in at 69-4, the 18-year-old England captain led his team’s recovery by putting on 50 with 
No 3 Ryan Higgins, before the latster fell for an impressive 52.

In Pakistan’s reply, Yorkshire’s Matt Fisher starred with the ball, taking 2-21 off his 10 overs, including the wickets of Saud Shakeel and Saifullah Khan.

But, despite having their opponents on the ropes – all-rounder Rhodes taking the wicket of Hasan Raza – Pakistan were able to stage a recovery and, with the run rate barely getting over four an over, they reached their target.

Scarborough will host two one-day internationals between England Women and their India counterparts in August, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced yesterday.

In total, Ashes winners England will play a one-off Test match and three one-day internationals against India in August, with three Twenty20 internationals against South Africa following at the start of September.

Wormsley Cricket Ground will host the Test from August 13-16, the first time that the two sides have faced each other in the longest form of the game since 2006.

The first two ODIs on August 21 and 23 will take place at Scarborough, with the series culminating at Lord’s on August 25.

The matches against South Africa will take place on September 1, 3 and 7.

The Essex County Ground in Chelmsford will host the first match and the County Ground, Northampton the second, while the third will take place at Edgbaston immediately before the men’s T20 match between England and India.

ECB head of England women’s cricket Clare Connor said: “We look forward to welcoming India and South Africa in the summer and fully anticipate that both sides will provide strong opposition for England in all three formats of the game.

“This is a hugely exciting programme of women’s international cricket, and it is fantastic that we will once again get to see England battle it out against one of the world’s top teams in a Test match.

“The recent Women’s Ashes Test in Perth was a wonderful demonstration of women’s cricket at its best and I expect a similarly tight contest when England take on India at Wormsley in August.

“Last summer saw record numbers of spectators through the gates to watch England regain the Women’s Ashes, and this year’s international schedule presents a similarly exciting proposition.”