Suryakumar Yadav’s India National Cricket Team took on Jos Buttler’s England National Cricket Team in the third T20I of the five-match series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
Suryakumar Yadav’s Team India were not at their best in the match and had to face a 26-run defeat at the hands of the England National Cricket Team. The series currently stands at 2-1 in the hosts’ favor.
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India crushed by England in 3rd T20I
India once again won the toss and chose to bowl first in the match. The Indian bowlers weren’t able to dismantle the top order of the English team and the batters were allowed to score runs.
Varun Chakravarthy emerged as the top performer for India with the ball as he bagged an excellent 5-wicket haul. He was provided decent support by Hardik Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel as India restricted the Three Lions to 171/9.
Chasing the target, the Indian batters struggled and failed miserably against the England bowlers. Abhishek Sharma played an explosive knock but wasn’t able to score big, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya tried his best to drag the game deep but got out after scoring a 35-ball 40. India were eventually restricted to 145/9 and lost the match.
I feel we had the game in our hands when Hardik and Axar were batting – Suryakumar Yadav’s
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Suryakumar Yadav stated that he felt India were in the game when Hardik Pandya was batting alongside Axar Patel, but Adil Rashid’s brilliance took the game away from India. Suryakumar Yadav ssid:
“I felt there would be little dew later in the day. I feel we had the game in our hands when Hardik and Axar were batting. Credit goes to Adil Rashid, he bowled really well. That’s why he is a world-class bowler. He didn’t allow us to rotate the strike. That’s why we had a lot of spinners in our side as well.”
Suryakumar Yadav didn’t look happy with the performance of Mohammed Shami, who gave away 25 runs in 3 overs without taking a wicket, as the India skipper was hopeful that the premier pacer would deliver a better performance in the upcoming matches. The skipper, however, was delighted with Varun Chakravarthy’s bowling masterclass.
“We always learn something from a T20 game. We got to learn from the batting point of view. Got to go back to the drawing board and learn from our mistakes. I am sure Shami will do better going forward. He (Varun Chakravarthy) has been working really hard during practice sessions. He is disciplined and he’s getting those results on the field as a result of that hard work,” Suryakumar Yadav said.
How India Performed in the 2nd T20I Against England
India showcased a great fight to claim a thrilling 2-wicket victory against England in the second T20I in Chennai, continuing their dominance in the format.
Winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Indian bowlers delivered a good performance, restricting England to 165/9. Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) led the attack with crucial breakthroughs, while Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, and Abhishek Sharma contributed with a wicket each. Despite Jos Buttler’s brisk 45 and Brydon Carse’s quickfire 31 off 17, India’s bowling unit ensured England didn’t breach the 170-run mark.
Chasing 166, India were off to a shaky start as the top order failed. By the end of the 10th over, India lost 5 wickets. The collapse left India in deep trouble, but Tilak Varma rose to the occasion with a stunning display of maturity and composure.
He anchored the innings with an unbeaten 72 off 55 balls, blending caution with aggression, and was supported by Washington Sundar’s 26 as India sealed the game with four balls to spare.
