England clawed back into the T20 series against India with a commanding 26-run victory in the third match on Tuesday, driven by disciplined bowling and a fiery 51 from Ben Duckett.
The win in Rajkot kept England alive in the five-match series, with India now leading 2-1.
Duckett's 28-ball innings laid the foundation for England's total of 171-9, despite a mid-innings collapse triggered by the Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who returned exceptional figures of 5-24.
England's bowlers, led by Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, and Jofra Archer, dismantled India's batting line-up, restricting them to 145-9. Overton claimed three wickets, while Archer and Brydon Carse chipped in with two each.
Rashid was particularly economical, finishing with 1-15 from four overs.
“The guys bowled really well and showcased their skills,” said England captain Jos Buttler. “It wasn’t just about pace, but how well they adapted to the wicket.” He lauded Rashid as the team's “most important player.”
India's Hardik Pandya laboured to 40 off 35 balls before falling to Overton when the required run rate exceeded 20 per over. Early breakthroughs from Archer and Carse set the tone, with Archer dismissing Sanju Samson and Carse taking out Abhishek Sharma with a spectacular catch by Archer himself.
Mark Wood removed the Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who top-edged a sharp bouncer into the gloves of wicketkeeper Phil Salt. Rashid and Overton then dismantled the middle order, reducing India to 85-5, leaving Pandya with too much to do.
– Duckett and Livingstone anchor England's innings –
Earlier, Duckett’s explosive start and a quickfire 43 from Liam Livingstone propelled England after the team slipped to 127-8 in 16 overs. Duckett, who struck seven fours and two sixes, partnered with Buttler for a 76-run stand before falling to Axar Patel.
Chakravarthy then tore through England’s batting, claiming his second five-wicket haul in T20 internationals, including the scalps of Buttler, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, and Jamie Overton.
Livingstone’s counterattack, including three sixes off Ravi Bishnoi, provided crucial runs before he holed out to Pandya.
India’s Yadav acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating, “We always learn from a T20 game.
Conceding 170 from 127-8 was too much. Batting also has areas for improvement.”
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami, returning to the international stage after the 2023 ODI World Cup final, went wicketless in his three overs, conceding 25 runs.
The fourth T20 was scheduled for Friday in Pune, with England aiming to level the series.
