"England's Comeback" Varun's Fifer in Vain as England Clinches Rajkot T20I
IND vs ENG 3rd T20I: After the Chennai setback, a much better performance by England tonight kept them alive in the five-match T20I series. England won the third T20I by 26 runs. The scoreline now stands 2-1 in favor of India with a couple of T20Is remaining.
India were in a strong position after the first innings, with a brilliant bowling performance putting them on top. However, England executed their plans well in the second innings and managed to defend the total comfortably in the end, tightening their grip as the match progressed. Despite India’s early promise, the pressure mounted, and the top order’s failure ultimately proved costly, leaving them with too much to do.
IND vs ENG 3rd T20I Match Summary
For the third time in a row, India won the toss and chose to field first. Captain Surya seemed pleased with the decision, inviting England to set a target. India made a notable change to their lineup, giving Arshdeep Singh a well-deserved rest and marking the much-anticipated return of Mohammed Shami to international cricket after a gap of approximately 15 months. On the other hand, England decided to stick with their tried-and-tested playing XI, showing confidence in their unchanged squad.
INDIA Playing11: Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Dhruv Jurel, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy
ENGLAND Playing11: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler(c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith(w), Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
ENGLAND's Innings- 171/9 (20)
England's innings got off to a rocky start as Philip Salt fell early in the second over, caught by Abhishek Sharma off Hardik Pandya's bowling for just 5 runs. However, Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler steadied the innings, forming a vital partnership. Duckett was the aggressor, smashing 51 off 28 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes, while Buttler contributed 24 off 22 balls.
But India struck back quickly in the 9th over when Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Buttler with a brilliant delivery, and just one over later, Axar Patel removed Duckett to put England under pressure at the halfway mark. Another impressive bowling performance by India saw them restrict England to an ordinary total on a really good batting surface.
Post the drinks break, Harry Brook's struggle against Indian conditions continued as Ravi Bishnoi bowled him for 8. Jamie Smith tried to counter-attack but fell to Varun Chakravarthy after 6 off 4 balls. Varun was unstoppable, claiming Jamie Overton for a golden duck on the very next delivery, and later dismissing Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer, completing a sensational five-wicket haul.
Liam Livingstone fought valiantly with a blazing 43 off 24 balls, smashing 5 sixes, but Hardik Pandya removed him in the 18th over. England's lower order couldn't offer much resistance, with Adil Rashid (10*) and Mark Wood (10*) managing to push the total to 171/9 in 20 overs. But was it enough to salvage the game?
India's Innings- 145/9 (20)
On a pitch tailor-made for batting, the target looked well within reach for India's deep and dynamic lineup. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma opened the chase, with Abhishek wasting no time making a statement. Facing Mark Wood’s thunderbolts clocking 145+ kmph, Abhishek unleashed a flurry of authoritative strokes in the second over, shifting the momentum firmly in India’s favor from the get-go.
However, Samson’s struggles against short-pitched deliveries continued, as he fell early to England’s fiery pace attack—his vulnerability to sharp bouncers now becoming an open secret. Abhishek kept the pressure on, racing to 24 off 14 before losing his wicket just as he seemed set for a big score. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav looked in sublime touch but fell victim to Mark Wood’s raw pace, leaving India three down at 51 by the end of the powerplay. The chase was off to a rollercoaster start, with plenty of drama already packed into the opening six overs.
The pressure mounted as the last-match hero, Tilak Varma, walked in but couldn’t replicate his heroics. He fell to a sharp, spinning beauty from Adil Rashid, undone by the turn and guile of the experienced leggie. By the halfway mark, India were wobbling at 78/4, with the chase suddenly looking far more challenging than it did at the start.
The chase was far from over, but with 94 runs still required off 60 balls, India needed something special. Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar were tasked with bringing the game back on track. While Hardik remained calm, Sundar struggled to find his rhythm. He consumed valuable deliveries but couldn’t get the scoreboard ticking, eventually falling for just 6 off 15 balls, adding to India’s mounting pressure.
Axar Patel came in next, playing a quiet supporting role, but with India needing more than just steady contributions, the situation grew dire. With 72 runs still required off the final five overs, it was clear that only an explosive finish could keep India in the hunt. Hardik pushed the limits but only to reduce the defeat margins. The asking rate was growing and he didn't have any choice but the go aerial every ball and lost his wicket in the process.
India lost the match by 26 runs despite a brilliant bowling performance. The batting let them down and especially the efforts from the top order were questionable. Nevertheless, the series is still alive with a scoreline of 2-1 and the teams will now head to PUNE for the fourth T20I of the series.
