England Stays Alive in T20I Series with 26-Run Victory Over India
England stormed back into the five-match T20I series with a commanding 26-run victory over India in the third match at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot. India's batting lineup faltered while chasing a target of 172, allowing England to secure a crucial win and keep their hopes alive in the series.
India’s innings lacked momentum after Adil Rashid, Jamie Overton, and Brydon Carse choked the middle overs with their disciplined bowling. Rashid dismissed the in-form Tilak Varma, who was deceived by the beauty of a delivery, marking his first failure in five T20Is. Following Tilak’s departure, the Indian innings stagnated, with Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel struggling to rotate the strike or find boundaries.
Between the 9th and 16th overs, India managed only 40 runs at the cost of one wicket, leaving them with a steep required rate. Hardik Pandya’s knock of 40 off 35 balls drew criticism for its slow start, with former wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel remarking, “One cannot take 20-25 balls to get set in a T20I.” Hardik’s inability to accelerate early in his innings contributed to India’s eventual downfall.
Axar Patel and Sundar also failed to step up, leaving India with no answers to England’s disciplined bowling attack. The team’s batting order came under scrutiny, with former England captain Kevin Pietersen criticizing the decision to send Dhruv Jurel at No.8. “Jurel is an accomplished batter who should have been sent up the order. Your best batters need to bat early,” Pietersen said. Parthiv echoed similar sentiments, stating that India overdid the left-right combination, which disrupted their batting momentum.
On the bowling front, Varun Chakaravarthy delivered another standout performance, claiming 5/24 to restrict England to 171/9. Ben Duckett was the top scorer for England with a quickfire 51 off 28 balls, setting up a competitive total for his team.
Despite Chakaravarthy’s brilliance, India’s batting woes overshadowed the effort. With the series now at 2-1, the team will need to address their batting order and strike rotation to bounce back in the next game.
