Ahmedabad: A stunning maiden T20I fifty from Suryakumar Yadav combined with a strong bowling performance helped India beat England by eight runs in the fourth T20I to level the five-match series 2-2, here on Thursday.
Sent out to bat, India posted a challenging total of 185/8 in stipulated 20 overs with the help of Suryakumar Yadav's maiden T20I fifty (57 off 31). Thereafter, India restricted England to 177 for 8 in 20 overs in a close contest on Thursday.Earlier, England won the toss and asked India to bat first.India commenced the innings with a six first ball, courtesy Rohit Sharma off Adil Rashid’s bowling.
However, Rohit (12) was soon outdone by change of pace, giving Jofra Archer a straightforward return catch.India finished their powerplay at 45/1 with Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul at the crease. Rahul’s lean patch continued as he could only manage 14 off 17 balls.
Suryakumar who came ahead of Virat Kohli at number three, didn’t disappoint. Batting in his first innings for India, he disposed the ball out of the ground for a maximum on his first delivery. Thereafter, he reached his maiden T20I fifty, scoring a magnificent 57 in 31 balls.
Kohli (1) was stumped after stepping down the wicket, outplayed by a wrong’un bowled by Rashid. Rishabh Pant (30) controlled the middle overs in the partnership with Suryakumar but was subsequently dismissed by Archer.
Shreyas Iyer (37), Hardik Pandya (11) and Shardul Thakur (10) provided the finishing touches. India added 57 runs in the last five overs reaching 185/8. Jofra Archer was the pick of the England bowlers as he took 4 wickets for 33 runs.In reply, England were off to a rocky beginning as they lost the prized wicket of Jos Buttler for 9 runs.
Thereafter, Dawid Malan (14), found it difficult in the middle and his innings of struggle came to an end, missing the ball completely and getting clean bowled in Rahul Chahar’s over.
Jason Roy contributed to the chase with a 27-ball 40. The partnership of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow of 65 runs in 36 balls resurrected the England innings, bringing them back in the game. Bairstow was then dismissed for 25 runs after getting caught off Rahul Chahar’s bowling.
Shardul Thakur shifted the momentum in India’s favour after picking up two back-to-back wickets – Stokes (46) and Eoin Morgan (4). They were reduced to 147/6 with 39 needed off the last 18 balls.
In the end, England required 23 runs in the last over to win. Thakur, who was bowling the final over, went for 13 runs in the first three balls, which included two wides.
However, the bowler held his nerve and saw India through after a miscued ball by Chris Jordan (12) ensured India’s victory.(UNI)