STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsIn both, first and the second T20I, India breezed past England. After setting a target of 200+ in the first, they won 50 runs and in the second T20I, with an even lesser target, India won comfortably by 49 runs. On the back of their second win, India sealed the series in back-to-back matches. However, by a consolatory win in the third, England saved a white-wash:
A stupendous knock in vain
There are very few words to describe Suryakumar Yadav’s innings in the third T20I. In a chase of 200+, with Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the hut for a score less than 35, Surya almost got India over the line with a magnificent century. However, it ended up in vain.
He got to his century in just 48 balls, making him the third fastest Indian to the milestone in T20Is. After Deepak Hooda, he was the latest entrant, the fifth Indian to hit a century in the shortest format. Surya also became the second Indian after KL Rahul against West Indies in 2016, to hit a century batting four or lower.
Only one Indian batter has more runs in an innings in T20Is than Surya’s 117. Rohit against Sri Lanka in 2017, had scored 118 in Indore. In addition, His score of 117 was the second highest score against England in T20Is. Aaron Finch in 2013, had scored 156.
As his mountainous efforts went in vain, his 55-ball knock of 117 registered some unwanted records. Among full member nation players, his 117 was the highest score in a losing chase. He alongside Rahul and Liam Livingstone, have suffered the fate of scoring a century in losing chase.
A series to remember for Jordan
In a series in which England conceded 170+ totals in all the three matches, Chris Jordan was definitely the pick among the England bowlers.
The fast bowler bagged eight wickets at an economy of 7.25, including a four-plus wicket haul in the second T20I. In a bilateral series, his eight wickets are the most for an England bowler. Previously, there were four instances of bowlers with seven.
The partnership that kept the match alive
India were tottering at 31/3 when Surya and Shreyas Iyer came together. In 15 overs, India had to score 185 runs with a required run rate of 12.3.
The pair forged a 119-run partnership for the fourth wicket of just 62 balls. Surya scored the larger chunk of runs (86 off 39), and Shreyas (28 off 23) played the role of a second fiddle. In T20Is, their partnership was the highest for fourth or lower wicket order for India.
England post second highest total on home turf
A scintillating innings of 77 from just 39 balls by Dawid Malan, and late flourish by Livingstone, Harry Brook and Jordan, England posted a mammoth total of 215.
In their home turf, only against Australia 2018 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, they had scored higher (221/5). To add more, this is only the second time they have scored 200+ against India, and co-incidentally, this is their highest of the two.
Gleeson makes an impact on debut
Richard Gleeson, making his debut at the age of 34 years and 210 days, became the third oldest player for England in T20Is. In the ongoing Vitality Blast, Gleeson with 23 wickets is second in the list behind Naveen-ul-Haq (24). His consistent performances earned him an international call-up.
In his first over itself, Gleeson bounced out Rohit Sharma to bag his first wicket, more importantly, halted India’s maul. In his second, he bagged Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant and ended up with a double wicket-maiden. He became the first England bowler to bowl a maiden over on debut in this format.
Eventually, Gleeson ended up with figures of 3/15 in his full quota of overs. In T20Is for England, only John Lewis in 2005 against Australia, had a better spell on debut (4/24).
The early enforcer
In back-to-back matches, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has provided a breakthrough in his first over. Jos Buttler in the first T20I and Jason Roy in the second T20I. Both the batsmen suffered a golden duck. However, Roy’s wicket came in the first ball of the innings.
In T20Is, this was the second time Kumar had dismissed a batter in the first ball of the innings. Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka was the other batter in 2022. This was his 14th wicket in the first over of the innings in T20Is, which is the second most for a bowler after Bilal Khan (16). In all T20s, Roy was his 34th scalp in the first over. Only Sohail Tanvir has more than him (36).
After dismissing both the openers, Kumar went past Shakib Al Hasan’s tally of 35 wickets against openers in T20Is. Now, only Tim Southee is ahead of him with 38.
Buttler’s nemesis
Every batter has hard times against a particular bowler. In the case of Jos Buttler, it has been Kumar who has been his nemesis, or to put it better, his bunny in T20s.
In both the T20Is that Kumar played in this series, he accounted for Buttler. He now has the better of Buttler five times in 13 innings at an average of 13.2. In T20s, among batters whom Buttler has faced 25+ balls, only against Rashid Khan, he averages lower (7.8 with four dismissals). However, no bowler has dismissed him more than Kumar.
