England triumphs by 26 runs, keeping the T20 series alive against India.©(@toisports )
England kept their hopes alive in the T20 series against India with a 26-run victory in Rajkot, reducing the hosts’ lead to 2-1 in the five-match series. With the pressure on after losing the first two matches, England needed a win to stay in contention, and they delivered with a solid all-round performance. Ben Duckett’s quick-fire 51 off 28 balls and Liam Livingstone’s explosive 43 from 21 helped England to 171-9, a score that initially appeared under par. However, their bowlers rose to the occasion, restricting India to just 145-9, ensuring England’s first win of the series.
Duckett was the standout entertainer with the bat, helping England to a strong start, reaching 83-1 by the ninth over. However, India’s spinners, led by Varun Chakravarthy, took control. Chakravarthy’s outstanding 5-24 was pivotal as England lost eight wickets for just 60 runs after a promising beginning. England’s batting collapse was marked by crucial dismissals, including Duckett, who was caught by mid-wicket off Axar Patel, and Jos Buttler, who was controversially given out caught behind on review.
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India, chasing 172, made a slow start, finishing the powerplay at 51-3. England’s seamers, including Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Brydon Carse, made early breakthroughs, with Archer taking two wickets, including a brilliant catch to dismiss Abhishek Sharma. Rashid, exceptional throughout the series, bowled Tilak Varma for 18, part of his stellar figures of 1-15 from four overs. Jamie Overton also contributed, taking 3-24, including the crucial dismissal of Hardik Pandya, whose 40 off 35 balls was too little too late for India.
As the game progressed, India fell further behind the required run rate. Pandya and Patel added 48 for the sixth wicket, but once Pandya was caught at long-on by Buttler off Overton, the match was effectively over. England’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings, with Archer removing Patel in the final overs, leaving India with no chance of chasing down the target.
While England’s win was vital, their batting still showed weaknesses against India’s spin attack. They have now lost 18 wickets to spin in this series, a concerning statistic for Brendon McCullum’s side. Harry Brook, in particular, continued to struggle, bowled cheaply by a spinner for the third consecutive match as part of a broader failure to tackle India’s turning deliveries.
Despite the batting difficulties, England’s bowlers dominated the match, with Rashid’s control and the seamers’ early breakthroughs keeping India under pressure. The win keeps England’s hopes alive heading into the fourth match, which will be played in Pune on Friday. England captain Jos Buttler expressed satisfaction with the victory, particularly praising Rashid’s performance, calling him the team’s most important player. India captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged the quality of Rashid’s bowling but remained confident that his team could bounce back in the upcoming matches.