
England Keep Series Alive with a Thrilling Win Over India in Rajkot
England fought back in the third T20 of their series against India, winning by 26 runs in Rajkot to keep their hopes of a series victory alive. Having already lost the first two matches of the five-match series, the tourists knew this was a must-win game. India, on the other hand, were looking to seal the series but fell short in their chase of 172, finishing on 145-9, while England posted 171-9 in their 20 overs.
Ben Duckett played a pivotal role for England, scoring a quick-fire 51 from 28 balls, his first T20I half-century. Despite a solid start, England faced a mid-innings collapse when India’s Varun Chakravarthy went on a wicket-taking spree. Chakravarthy took 5-24, dismantling England’s middle order after they were cruising at 83-1 in the ninth over. However, England managed to recover somewhat thanks to Liam Livingstone, who smashed 43 from 21 balls, including five sixes, to give the total some respectability.
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When India began their chase, the target of 172 was certainly achievable on a good pitch. However, England's bowlers were up to the task, restricting India from the outset. The home side found themselves 51-3 after the powerplay, with Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse taking key wickets early on. Archer removed Sanju Samson, while Carse claimed the important wicket of Abhishek Sharma, who had been in good form. Mark Wood also made his presence felt, dismissing India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, leaving India in trouble at 53-4.
India’s top order was rocked, but Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel fought back in the middle overs, with Pandya making 40 from 35 balls. However, despite a couple of sixes from Pandya and Patel's resistance, England's bowlers continued to strangle the run rate. Adil Rashid, in particular, was exceptional, bowling 4 overs for just 15 runs and picking up the crucial wicket of Tilak Varma, who had been in superb form. Rashid's variations and control kept India under pressure throughout the innings.
By the time Pandya was dismissed, caught by Jos Buttler off Jamie Overton’s bowling, India’s chase had fizzled out. Despite the best efforts of some lower-order resistance, England’s bowlers held firm, and the hosts were bowled out for just 145, handing England a crucial victory.
The win brought some relief for England, who had struggled against India’s spinners in the previous matches. However, the tourists still face challenges, as their batting remains inconsistent. In particular, Harry Brook, who has struggled in the series, was dismissed cheaply again, continuing his disappointing run. England’s spinners, including Rashid, remain their key strength, but there are still concerns about their batting depth, especially against India’s spin attack.
With the series now 2-1 in favor of India, England will head into the fourth match in Pune with renewed confidence. They will need another strong performance to level the series and keep their hopes of victory alive. It’s shaping up to be a thrilling conclusion to what has already been an intense and closely contested series.
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