Hello and welcome to Sportstar's highlights of the fourth T20I between India and England from the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.
A riveting escape for the Indians as they swing back into the series in emphatic fashion with a nervy eight-runs to level the series. Batting first, the Indian batsmen led by new-age star Suryakumar Yadav's 57 led the host to 185/8 in the crucial encounter.
With five bowlers and dew playing against their plans, India's bowlers had a massive job up their sleeves against a star-studded England lineup. The Indian pacers were on the money with Bhuvneshwar picking up Jos Buttler cheaply in a fine opening spell while Hardik Pandya made it uncomfortable for the batters with his fine mix of slower balls. Despite a resurgence set by the menacing Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, India chipped in with the wickets at the right moments.
However, Shardul Thakur nailed the key moment as he picked up Stokes and Eoin Morgan in successive balls to put England on the backfoot. A late flare from Archer would have sent the jitters to the Indian camp but the side, led by Rohit Sharma in the late overs held their nerve to scrape through a fine win at the end.
So, we have a series decider on Saturday! Do join us for the action then! Good night, folks!
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India levels the five-match series 2-2 in a humdinger!
England 163/7 after 19 overs:
Archer finds a boundary off the final ball of Bhuvneshwar's over and
England now needs 23 off the final over. Thakur will be up for it as India eyes to level the series 2-2.
England 153/7 after 18 overs: Pandya to Curran. OUT! Cracking spell from Hardik Pandya and he ends it with a wicket.
This has been a fine spell, with excellent use of his variations particularly the slower ones that have been difficult to pick. A well deserved ending for Hardik as he cleans up Sam Curran with another slower one that finds the edge and jags onto the stumps.
Pandya's sensational spell reads: 4-0-16-2!
Sam Curran b Pandya 3 (5b)
England 147/6 after 17 overs: Thakur to Stokes. OUT! In the air and gone! Stokes carries the slower one straight to Suryakumar at long-off! Goodness me! THAKUR SENDS BACK MORGAN! Two-in-two for India! The wily operator sends in a slower cutter to the England skipper who attempts to slice it over point and a leading edge falls straight to the fielder. Just the over India needed at the situation as the key men find themselves back in the hut. England needs 39 runs in 18 balls. Ben Stokes c Yadav b Thakur 46 (23b 4x4 3x6), Eoin Morgan c Washington Sundar b Thakur 4 (6b)
England 140/4 after 16 overs: Stokes chips in with the boundaries. Bhuvneshwar is creamed through long-on by a storming Stokes but the pacer is quick to make amends to his line to keep England captain Morgan in check.
England 132/4 after 15 overs: Chahar to Bairstow. OUT! India gets the much-needed breakthrough!
Excellent presence of mind from Chahar as he sees Bairstow approaching and drags it wide. Bairstow has no choice but to go at it and the thick edge carries itself straight to Sundar at point. The over, however, leaks 14 runs as Ben Stokes went hammer and tongs against Chahar early in the over with a powerful six.
Jonny Bairstow c Washington Sundar b Chahar 25 (19b 2x4 1x6)
England 118/3 after 14 overs: Sundar takes a pasting!
Bairstow has latched onto some poor deliveries outside the off-stump on length by Sundar. A huge six sails past the midwicket fence and Bairstow goes on up with a wide sweep from outside off through cow corner.
18 runs and England now needs 68 from 36 balls.
England 100/3 after 13 overs: Stokes raises the 100 in some style with a grand six down the ground! Chahar instantly knows the mistake as he attempts a loopy that hits the slot and Stokes cashes in with ease. England is picking up the pace and needs 86 runs from 42 balls.
England 91/3 after 12 overs: Stokes finds his groove! He begins the Sundar over with a ballistic smash through long-on. He finishes the over in some style as he sends a poor short delivery from Sundar over deep midwicket. Sundar fails to bowl to the field and his captain ensures that he understands the mistake.
England 79/3 after 11 overs: Chahar induces the false short from Stokes and the miscued slog towards deep midwicket nearly carries to Iyer on the full. Iyer fails to reach the ball and the rebound slips past him to the boundary.
England 71/3 after 10 overs: Kohli brings back Sundar at the right time with the batsmen yet to settle in. Stokes and Bairstow tread in singles as Sundar runs through swiftly in a five-run over.
England 66/3 after 9 overs: Pandya to Roy. OUT! And the short ball does the trick as the dangerous Roy departs! A couple of quicker straight ones is followed up with a probing shorter one. Roy attempts to tonk it over the deep midwicket fence but fails to power it enough. Suryakumar Yadav runs in to complete a fine catch and England quickly finds itself in trouble. Jason Roy c Yadav b Pandya 40 (27b 6x4 1x6)
England 60/2 after 8 overs: Chahar to Malan. OUT! Chahar strikes big in his first over! Malan's restlessness gets the better off him as he pays no heed on the line of the ball and goes with pre-meditated reverse-sweep. Chahar dips in the googly that beats the bat and zings to hit the stumps. Massive strike for India as a menacing partnership is cut short. Dawid Malan b Chahar 14 (17b 0x4 1x6)
England 56/1 after 7 overs: Malan lifts Thakur in style over long-off! Effortless batting from the southpaw as he sends England past 50. Thakur, however, has an excellent response as he makes Malan flaw in timing with three consecutive slower ones that beats the bat.
England 48/1 after 6 overs: Roy latches on to Sundar as 17 runs come off the final over of the powerplay! Intriguing decision from Kohli to bring in the offie in the sixth over and Roy has done well to put England back on track with two boundaries and a cracking six down the ground. It is further helped with some poor bowling from Sundar.
England 31/1 after 5 overs: Hardik troubles Roy and Malan with a variety of slower balls. He nearly gets a wicket to his name after Malan attempts to cut the jumping slower one over short-third man but the ball lobs up just enough to be stopped with a fine stretch from Thakur. Excellent effort from Thakur even as he drops that one. Difficult chance presented to him and the least he has done there is to prevent a boundary.
England 28/1 after 4 overs: Roy gets two streaky boundaries to breach 1000 T20I runs! An inside-edge follow by an outside-edge frustrates Thakur as both balls find themselves past the boundary behind the keeper. A 13-run over puts England right back on route.
England 15/1 after 3 overs: Bhuvneshwar to Buttler. OUT! Bhuvi gets Buttler right after he blazed him for a six! Bhuvneshwar gets off by straying to the pads and Buttler flicks it deep into the stands for a six. Bhuvi is quick to correct is line as swings it a hint away from Buttler and the miscued hit towers up straight to KL Rahul at mid-off. Jos Buttler c Rahul b Kumar 9 (6b 0x4 1x6)
England 2/0 after 2 overs: India on a roll! Pandya attacks the stumps while mixing up his pace to keep the batsmen guessing. Uncharacteristic start from the England openers with Roy taking nine balls to get off the mark.
Hardik Pandya to bowl from the other end.
England 0/0 after 1 over: A maiden over to start for India. Bhuvneshwar hits the right lines and mixes it up with a couple of away swingers followed by a sharp delivery tailing in to Jason Roy. No hurry from the England opener as he defends without much fuss through the over.
Bhuvneshwar up with the new ball.
And here we are for the chase. Jason Roy and Jos Buttler walk out to the crease as India takes to the field.
After a potentially strong start, India lost its powerful trinity - Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli - cheaply with another top performance early on from England. The rescue act came from a certain Suryakumar Yadav who began in scintillating fashion against the fiery Archer to score his maiden T20I fifty in his debut innings. Iyer and Pant followed it up with good cameos but Jofra Archer was too good at the death as he acoounted for four wickets in total. The equation reads England needs 186 runs to clinch the series and with the lineup that it possesses, it is the visitor's game to win save for a fine performance first-up from India's bowlers.
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India 185/8 after Archer to Iyer. OUT! The flick does not carry through and Iyer is caught at midwicket! A half-hearted shot from Iyer as he fuels power into it and it comes off as a soft dismissal. New man Sundar carves one boundary off the yorker length before Archer removes him too. Thakur manages to fend off a boundary from Archer and India finishes at 185. Would that be enough to put India level?
India 174/6 after 19 overs: Wood to Pandya. OUT! A STUNNER from Big Ben at mid-off sends Pandya packing! Pandya clearly uncomfortable of the extra pace for once gets his timing right as everyone thought that he had sent that racing past the mid-off fielder. Oh, but wait we have Benjamin Stokes set up there and he aces one of those magic momens once again. The ball was racing past him and Stokes dives to his left to complete a top-draw snorter at the right time for England . Hardik Pandya c Stokes b Wood 11 (8b 0x4 1x6)
India 167/5 after 18 overs: Iyer and Pandya maul Jordan! Pandya starts the over on a high with a massive hook for six. Iyer takes on the baton with a sizzling drag-hit down the ground to the boundary for four. He then follows it up with a cracking inside-out slog over the covers! What an innings this is turning out to be.
India 149/5 after 17 overs: Archer to Pant. OUT! Archer has the last laugh as he cleans up Pant! Pant clobbers the first ball of the over down the ground in disdain and Archer comes back in style with a ripping delivery to send the middle-stump on its way! Pant departs after powering a quickfire 30 and Pandya comes in with India hoping for some crucial finishing touches. Rishabh Pant b Archer 30 (23b 4x4)
India 140/4 after 16 overs: Iyer on fire! Uses the pace of Wood as he swats one through long-on while Sam Curran makes a mess at the boundary rope. Iyer then creams Wood off the final ball from yorker length with a deft touch that sends past short third-man. India is hitting the pedal finally.
India 128/4 after 15 overs: A fairly quiet over has a dope shot from Pant's blade. Jordan rushes it onto Pant's body and he just slays a pick-up shot nearly hitting the boundary on the full at deep point. Jordan has gone through another tidy over as he restricts the batsmen to just eight runs off the over.
India 120/4 after 14 overs: Suryakumar repeats the Nataraja scoop for six off Sam Curran and oh, he repeats the shot and is caught by a diving Malan at deep fine leg! Dear, oh dear. The replays seemed to have highlighted a still that has the ball kissing the ground with his hands around it. The on-field umpire had given it out and the third umpire stays in lieu with the soft signal.
Massive blow for the Indians and the Indian captain is not happy with the decision from the dugout. Nevetheless, this has been a marvellous knock from SKY and hopefully, there's a lot more in store!
Meanwhile, new man Shreyas Iyer has pulled off a cracking cover drive first ball off Curran and chips the final ball to the fence once again over backward point.
Suryakumar Yadav c Malan b Curran 57 (31b 6x4 3x6)
India 104/3 after 13 overs: Pant gets into the act as India crosses 100! Stokes keep it full and Pant creams through the fine gap between cover and mid-off! Impeccable timing from Pant here as Stokes bears a brunt of the southpaw's blade.
India 92/3 after 12 overs: 50 for Suryakumar Yadav in his first innings for India! Rashid has no clue what's to be done after Surya stifles his plans with a stellar sweep. SKY then notches up his first T20I fifty in style with a delectable cut past point. India has opened the floodgates and this might be a interesting phase on the cards.
India 79/3 after 11 overs: The boundaries have suddenly dried up with Pant biding his time to get a start. Jordan keeps it tight with four singles in the over as he attacks the stumps. Suryakumar will be hoping to open the floodgates soon as it is imperative that India would need a big score to put up a fight.
India 75/3 after 10 overs: India is on the backfoot at the half-way stage. Stokes runs in with zeal and forces new man Pant and Suryakumar to exchange strike with a string of singles. The scoring rate has taken a dip with two quick jolts and it will be upto to this combination to set up the innings with Iyer and Pandya in the ranks for a final flourish.
A near complete England lineup here!
India 70/3 after 9 overs: Rashid to Kohli. OUT! Kohli is bamboozled by the googly!
The Indian captain has fallen early and England is right back in the contest with some quick wickets. Excellent from Rashid as gets the googly spot on this time. Kohli does not read it and goes for a pre-meditated step down from the crease. Buttler collects the ball as Kohli misses it altogether and smashes the flashes quickly.
Virat Kohli st †Buttler b Rashid 1 (5b)
India 68/2 after 8 overs: Stokes to Rahul. OUT! Tame dismissal for Rahul as England strikes once again.
Rahul perhaps is hit by pressure after he fails to knock on the runs despite settling in. Stokes works his magic with a slower one as Rahul mistimes the chip and it carries straight Archer at mid-off.
Kohli comes in and gets off the mark instantly and it is followed by yet another
solid punch to the deep cover fence from Suryakumar! Oh, what a player can he turn out to be for this T20I side.
KL Rahul c Archer b Stokes 14 (17b 2x4)
India 59/1 after 7 overs: Surya on the prowl! Adil Rashid is taken to the cleaners as his attempted googly lands as a full-toss to Suryakumar who happily dishes it to the square boundary. He then follows up with a cracking extended lofted drive over covers, sailing was past into the stands as India continues to rake in the runs quickly now. Some worrying signs for Morgan as a vacant expression takes over.
India 45/1 after 6 overs: Rahul and SKY rev up! Chris Jordan is invited into the attack with a slew of boundaries as Rahul flicks one off his pads through the vacant backward point field. Seems like he has got back his confidence and looks more settled at the middle out. Suryakumar then makes light work of the field as he deftly carves a shot past the short-third man fielder to the boundary to finish India's powerplay on a high.
India 34/1 after 5 overs: Impressive from Surya. He makes some room to stomp Wood with that delightful backfoot punch through the covers. No nerves from this man at all as he takes on some serious pace.
India 27/1 after 4 overs: Archer to Rohit. OUT! The deception works as Archer packs Rohit! Archer rolls his fingers over the ball to flounder Rohit who stays back in the crease, waiting for the express pace. The slower one catches him by surprise and Rohit hits a wry chip back to Archer. Suryakumar Yadav is the new man and he starts his first T20I innings with a six! Geez, what a shot! Archer pulls it short and quick to SKY as he blazes the Nataraja scoop over the deep fine leg fence! Rohit Sharma c & b Archer 12 (12b 1x4 1x6)
India 19/0 after 3 overs: Fiery over from Wood first-up! The pace is right up there in the late 140s as Wood restricts Rahul to a series of dots after he nearly traps Rohit in front of the stumps.
India 18/0 after 2 overs: Rahul makes a move after Archer troubles him initially. Archer rushes the straighter one to Rahul to make him uncomfortable at the start but Rahul settles in slowly before a delectable punch through from a fairly straight delivery. Archer is unhappy as Rahul gets his first boundary in four innings in the series! A relieved smile all over his face and this might be the shot that turns it on for him.
India 12/0 after 1 over: Confident start for India as Rohit starts proceedings with a six!
Rohit eases a lofted off-drive over the boundary from a tossed-up delivery from Rashid first ball. He then cashes in with a fine glance behind square as Rashid strays to the pads. With a single later in the over,
Rohit also become the second Indian to reach 9000 T20 runs. A hint of scare for Rohit as Rahul forces him to a quick single first ball to get off the mark. Rohit got into the crease just in time before Buttler dislodged the bails from a quick single from short midwicket.
Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul walk out to the middle as Adil Rashid takes the new ball for England.
Game on, folks! A virtual decider for the series as England is a win away from sealing the deal here.
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6:45PM: Right, England has retained its solidity while India continues to tweak the combinations. No changes, however, in its pace department as Kohli brings in Rahul Chahar ahead of Yuzi Chahal. Not surprising for Chahal's numbers have been on a consistent decline.
The batting order continues to move into a muddle as the combinations begin to change with Suryakumar returning to the squad. Will the flamboyant batsman get his due tonight?
The captains speak:
TOSS: England wins the toss and elects to bowl
Right, we are minutes away from the Toss.
Will India bring back the dynamic Suryakumar and a fair share of pace from the likes of Navdeep Saini or is a surprise inclusion for T Natarajan on the cards?
6:25PM: PITCH REPORT - Really firm but lesser game as opposed to the first T20I. Looks set as a good batting wicket even as the pacers will be well in the game. Seems to be the best wicket so far in the series and the batsmen could make merry on a belter.
6:20PM: Jonny Bairstow has been handed a special cap from Paul Collingwood on the occasion of his 50th T20I for England.
6:15PM: With the surface being used for the match being the same from the first T20I, England pacers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer will be licking their lips to raise the heat against the Indian top-order. Easily, that is the challenge for India tonight if they are to scrap through to make it 2-2.
6:10PM: Does the montage reveal some hints?
6:06PM: Washington Sundar speaks ahead of the start: "Since I've played lots of T20s in the last few years, I sort of know what the team needs from me and also what I can bring to the team. All I want to do is have utmost clarity at the top of my mark. (on not bowling in the Powerplay) I have no idea but I should be ready to do whatever the team needs me to do. That's when I will be an asset for the team, and that's what I want to be and am looking to be also."
6:03PM: Nattu is back
6:00PM: HIGH STAKES!
England has a chance to record its
first multi-game bilateral men’s T20I series victory over India , their record stands at one drawn series and two defeats.
5:55PM: Hoping for a run-feast tonight, anyone?
5:50PM: Ahead of the all-important clash, here are some key numbers to watch out for:
3rd T20I Review
India's fortunes would have hoped to take a positive tide after the return of its skipper, Virat Kohli to the best of his willow-wielding abilities once again after a string of low scores under his belt. The maverick batsman was in complete control as he salvaged some pride for the host after England's pace spearheads - Mark Wood and Jofra Archer - unleashed some manic pace onto the Indian top-order.
Eoin Morgan's men have been well prepared coming into the contest and looked in complete control from the start even as India continued to tweak its combinations in its build-up to the World Cup.
Challenges aplenty of skipper Kohli
With India opting for almost three combinations at the top of the order in three matches, despite Kohli's punt for Rohit and Rahul, there are hints that the management is still in search of a firesome top-order. Kohli's plan to slot Ishan Kishan backfired and India's bowling combinations failed to dislodge the English top-order.
India's talismanic spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal has hit a rough patch lately with the fiery England top-order making light work of him. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, on the other hand, has looked impressive on his return to the India blues, but the lack of a proper fast bowler in tandem has undone his fine starts with the ball.
ALSO READ | Why not Ravichandran Ashwin in the T20I squad?
With India's batters flinching against raw pace, India could perhaps bring in Suryakumar Yadav into the combination. Surya's numbers against both pace and spin over the last three years in the IPL have been up there at the top and perhaps a dynamic player like the 30-year-old is just the change this side needs in its top-order.
FORM GUIDE (last five matches)
India LWLLW
England WLWWW
TEAMS (from)
- India : Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, K. L. Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Tewatia, Ishan Kishan.
- England : Eoin Morgan (c), Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, Chris Jordan, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Jonny Bairstow, Jofra Archer.
WHERE TO WATCH THE INDIA vs ENGLAND SERIES?
The IND vs ENG series can be live streamed on Disney+Hotstar . It can also be watched on the Star Sports television network.
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