England beat India by 26 runs in a high-stakes match at Rajkot on January 28, 2025, extending the Twenty20 series to five games. The result reduced India’s lead to 2-1 and set the framework for an exciting series finale.
India Vs England – Match Summary
England scored 171 runs in their 20 overs, with the batters in first place. Ben Duckett scored the first half-century of his Twenty20 International career as an opener, a rapid 51 runs off 28 balls. Liam Livingstone came on strong in the last over, scoring 43 runs off of 24 balls, five of which were sixes. The star bowler, Varun Chakravarthy of India, caused major problems for England’s middle order with his spectacular five-wicket haul for 24 runs.
Meanwhile, India’s batting collapsed, scoring 145 runs for nine wickets. Despite Hardik Pandya’s best efforts (40 runs off of 35 balls), the rest of the batting order could not overcome England’s methodical bowling attack. Particularly economical was Adil Rashid, who took the wicket of Tilak Varma and allowed only 15 runs in four overs. With three wickets for twenty-four runs, Jamie Overton was also instrumental.
Important Points of India Vs England 3rd T20 Match
- Ben Duckett’s Bold Beginning: England got off to a strong start thanks to Duckett’s quick fifty, which laid a solid groundwork for the innings. Because of his forceful play, England could take advantage of the powerplay overs and pressure the Indian bowlers.
- One of India’s shining moments was bowler Varun Chakravarthy’s five-wicket haul. England’s middle-order collapse occurred because of his capacity to mislead batters with his variations, which contributed to his personal best T20 international figure of 5 for 24.
- Adil Rashid’s economical spell, which lasted four overs, was a critical factor in limiting India’s pursuit. Not only did he take a vital wicket, but he also restricted the run flow in the middle overs, increasing the strain.
Opportunities for India to Advance:
Consistency in the Top Order: India fell behind because of the early wickets of important batters. Taking it easy in the first few overs could save wickets and pave the way for a fast finish to the game.
A few players’ reliance on scoring has become noticeable, bringing us to middle-order contributions. If the middle order contributed more, the batting lineup would gain depth and resilience.
The drop from 83 for 1 to 127 for 8 revealed weaknesses in the middle-order resilience. Working together and taking things slow during mid-overs is essential to avoid these slumps.
Better planning and strategy are needed to oppose spin bowling in subcontinental conditions, as shown by Chakravarthy’s success in the struggle against quality spin.
With their win in Rajkot, England has revitalized the series and demonstrated the exciting and unexpected aspect of Twenty20 cricket. The future matches will be exciting as both teams assess their performances. They are both determined to prove their dominance and win the series.
