The third match of the T20 series was played between India and England today at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. India had gained the lead in the matches played so far, but this match was like “do or die” for England. Cricket lovers got a chance to see the great performance of both the teams in this match.
England innings: Start and struggle
The England team batted first, but lost the toss. Despite a slow start, the openers tried to handle the innings. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler batted well in the initial overs and tried to give a strong base to the team. But the Indian bowlers had to face constant pressure. To take England’s innings forward, Ben Duckett came to the field and scored a brilliant half-century for his team. His innings of 67 runs in 45 balls took England to 171. Varun Chakraborty has performed the best among the Indian bowlers. His deadly bowling stopped the England batsmen and took five wickets. His brilliant bowling saved England from a crucial score.
India’s innings: Struggle and pressure
The Indian team tried to achieve the target of 172 runs, but England’s bowling made the game exciting. India scored only 35 runs in the powerplay and lost 2 wickets, while middle-order batsmen Tilak Verma and Suryakumar Yadav tried to handle the innings. England bowlers put pressure on India by taking wickets continuously. Washington Sundar hit some good shots in the last overs, but the team did not win. England batsmen Adil Rashid and Jamie Overton bowled brilliantly to stop the Indian batsmen. England won the match by 11 runs, while India’s team could only score 160 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs.
Key highlights of the match
- Ben Duckett’s brilliant half-century: Ben Duckett’s innings was very important for England. He scored 67 runs and played an important role in taking the team to a strong score.
- Varun Chakraborty’s spin magic: Indian spinner Varun Chakraborty gave the best performance of his career. He took 5 wickets for 31 runs in 4 overs and scattered the England batting order.
- Adil Rashid’s deadly bowling: England leg-spinner Adil Rashid kept the Indian batsmen tied in the middle order. He not only stopped the runs, but also took 2 important wickets.
- Suryakumar Yadav’s struggling innings: Suryakumar played an innings of 42 runs and tried his best to get the team closer to the target. However, he did not get enough support from the other end.
Series status and further strategy
England got their first win in the five-match T20 series with this win. India are currently leading the series 2-1. India will try to win the series by registering another win in the next two matches. The England team will now take the field and try to level the series.
Lessons for both teams
India’s defeat made it clear that their batting order is still unstable. The openers will have to start early in the powerplay. At the same time, England’s victory kept the team confident. Their bowling and fielding won this match.
Conclusion
This match played in Rajkot was very exciting. England showed with their excellent performance that they are still in the series. On the other hand, the Indian team will have to focus on their weaknesses and work on them in the next matches. Both teams will now take their strategy and playing skills to a new level in the fourth match in Pune. It will be interesting to see whether India ends the series here or England makes a comeback and takes it to the deciding match.