NEWS
Follow UsAt 20 years and 324 days, Jacob Bethell, in the first T20I against Australia, became the fifth youngest debutant for England in T20 Internationals. But the 20-year-old had a game to forget, scoring 2 runs with the bat while conceding 0/28 in three overs with the ball.
However, Bethell announced himself at the international stage in the second T20I at Cardiff on September 13 (Friday), hammering a 24-ball 44 in which he smashed four fours and three sixes.
Bethell played quite a few breath-taking strokes in his knock, but the highlight of his innings was unquestionably his take-down of Adam Zampa. In the 14th over of the chase, the left-hander went 4 6 4 4 2 to take 20 runs off a single Zampa over to tilt the game in the hosts’ favour.
In the aftermath of the clash, England’s stand-in skipper Phil Salt lavished praise on the 20-year-old.
“Bethell is a real talent, the way he took down Zampa, not many could do that in their second international game,” Salt said of the youngster after the game.
Liam Livingstone, meanwhile, claimed that it was a ‘special feeling’ to be batting with an incredibly talented youngster like Bethell. On the night, between them, Livingstone and Bethell put together 90 runs for the fourth wicket to set up victory for the Three Lions.
“Seen it over the last couple of weeks in the Hundred, incredible talent but he has a great head on young shoulders,” Livingstone said of Bethell.
“To be out there batting with him, he's a fearless kid and it was pretty special.”
Bethell got a call up for the Australia T20Is following a breakthrough Hundred for the Birmingham Phoenix, where he hammered 166 runs at a strike rate of 132.80.
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