Bristol, July 8: Rohit Sharma slammed another sensational ton, his third in Twenty20 International, while Hardik Pandya produced an all-round effort to guide India to a seven-wicket win over England in the third and deciding T20I.
Set a daunting target of 199, India cruised home quite comfortably as they chased down the total in 18.3 overs with 7 wickets in hand.
The Indian vice-captain made a target of 199 look ridiculously easy on a small Bristol ground after the visiting bowlers did a commendable job at the back end to restrict the hosts to a sub-par score.
Captain Virat Kohli (43 off 29 balls) played his part with his authoritative stroke-play while Hardik Pandya, who shone with the ball earlier with a four-wicket haul, also made a significant contribution with the bat.
England ham sharminda hain,
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 8, 2018
Talent abhi Zinda hai.@ImRo45 , what elegance and clean hitting. 3rd T20I 100, many more to come. Great effort from Kungfu Pandya with both bat and ball. Well deserved series win.
#IndvsEng pic.twitter.com/Mut6O2dLX7
Pandya hit 33 not out off just 14 balls as India reached to 201 for 3 in 18.4 overs. The series win set the right tone for the gruelling challenges ahead with the three-match ODI series, up next, starting from July 12.
Perfect weather.. perfect conditions and a perfect result for #TeamIndia. Congratulations on the series win and all the best for the upcoming ODI matches. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/hHUEfbSoLd
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 8, 2018
Rohit stroked his way to 100 not out, his third T20I hundred, with the help of 11 fours and five sixes, adding 89 runs for the third wicket with Kohli, who got his first score of note on the tour of UK.
Rohit Sharma...🇮🇳
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 8, 2018
*the only batsman to make three double centuries in ODI cricket!
*now the only 2nd batsman (after Colin Munro) to make three centuries in T20I cricket!#EngvInd#IndvsEng
Virat's 43 came from 29 balls and had two fours and two sixes. Chasing a decent target of 199 on a small ground, India made a bright start with 21 runs on board after the second over but opener Shikhar Dhawan (5) got out immediately as Jake Ball made a fine diving catch at short fine leg.
The other opener Rohit Sharma was in good touch as he hit Liam Plunkett for two sixes and a four in the fourth over to build up the momentum of the Indian run chase. Lokesh Rahul (19 off 10 balls) fell to a spectacular catch by Chris Jordan who made a huge ground from long-on and then flung himself full length to pluck the ball out of nowhere.
MS Dhoni is the first player to take five catches in a Twenty20 International.#ENGvIND
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) July 8, 2018
Despite that, India were on course with 70 on board for 2 wickets at the end of the powerplay. Ben Stokes was introduced in the seventh over and he made an immediate impact by conceding just two runs from that over. But Rohit was not the one to remain quiet as he collected a few more fours to reach his fifty off 28 balls in the ninth over while also taking Indian score to 100 for 2 at halfway mark.
WINNERS! 😎#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/W0HdELUpzw
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 8, 2018
Rohit then launched on Plunkett with a six and a four in the 11th over and captain Virat Kohli, who came on the crease at the fall of Rahul, joined the party with a six in the next over to place India well on course of the target.
The Indian captain began to gain in confidence as he hit another six off Plunkett before he fell victim of Jordan in the 15th over, caught and bowled by the bowler in a soft dismissal.
Hardik Pandya, who came in for Kohli, immediately found the boundaries and India needed just 29 from the last three overs to win the match.
India in three-match T20I series:
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) July 8, 2018
WON 3-0 v Aus, 2016
WON 2-1 v SL, 2016
WON 2-1 v Zim, 2016
WON 2-1 v Eng, 2017
WON 2-1 v NZ, 2017
WON 3-0 v SL, 2017
WON 2-1 v SA, 2018
WON 2-1 v Eng, 2018
Played 8, Won all 8. #EngvInd
India took 20 runs in the 18th over with Pandya hitting two fours and a six. Then he hit the winning runs, a six off Jordan to clinch the series.
Earlier, Jason Roy struck a sensational half-century before Hardik Pandya pulled things back for India as England were restricted to 198/9 in the third and deciding T20I between the two teams at Bristol.
Such clean hitting by @ImRo45!!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 8, 2018
This innings was a pure joy to watch. Hope this form translates to the ODIs. (Thanks for helping my 19th over prediction come true! 😜) pic.twitter.com/xZnyAFm1Sj
Roy (67 off 31 deliveries, 4X4s, 7X6s) gave England a blistering start along with his in-form batting partner Jos Buttler (34 off 21) as England touched triple-figure mark in the 10th over itself.
But Pandya (4/38) helped the visitors pull things back well after being hammered for 22 runs in his first over of the innings. Pandya and wicketkeeper MS Dhoni were involved in all four dismissals.
Dhoni became the first wicketkeeper to take 5 catches in a match and also first to reach 50 T20I catches.
Sent into bat, Roy and his opening partner Jos Buttler (34 runs of 21 balls) shared 94 runs from 7.5 overs to make a flying start in their innings as the duo dealt in fours and sixes initially.
This is.....
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) July 8, 2018
India’s highest successful chase in a T20I outside India,
highest successful chase by any side against England and
the highest successful chase by any side in England.#ENGvIND #INDvENG
England would have posted a much bigger total but for the comeback by the Indian bowlers led by Hardik Pandya who took 4/38.
During the England innings, Indian wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni also became the first wicket-keeper to complete 50 catches in T20Is by taking five catches.
Some poor bowling from Indian pacers, who either sprayed the ball or bowled too short, helped England in making a bright start.
Mix of variations at the right time from @sidkaul22 was the key to his 2 superb wickets. Good job. Keep it up! #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/NxcQpE6Hfb
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 8, 2018
The visitors also did not do too well in the powerplay overs and England made merry under the sun as they had hit eight fours and two sixes within the first five overs.
Buttler was dropped by Siddharth Kaul when on 20 with Chahal being the unfortunate bowler. Roy, on the other hand, reached his third T20I half-century off only 23 balls, inclusive of four fours and five sixes.
The breakthrough came just as India were starting to wonder where to bowl to the opening duo. Kaul (2/35) bowled a quicker, fuller delivery and Buttler missed as he was bowled.
Wohhhooo!!! What a fanatic win #TeamIndia! Proud to be part of such an incredible team & winning this T20 series #ENGvIND! @ImRo45 you beauty! We can never get enough of you knocking those boundaries & What an amazing show by @hardikpandya7
— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) July 8, 2018
Well done guys! 🇮🇳 @imVkohli @BCCI pic.twitter.com/5qV57lQdW4
Pandya bowled poorly in his first spell, against the field set by his captain as he was taken for two fours and two sixes, but returned later to impact the English middle order.
In the 14th over, Chahal missed a chance to dismiss Eoin Morgan (then on 4), failing to latch onto a high catch at cover only to end up banging his head on the ground. He went off for some treatment but Morgan did India a favour with another skier off the very next ball.
Dhoni completed the catch this time around. Pandya was not done yet, as he had Alex Hales (30) caught behind too. England lost four wickets for 46 runs before Ben Stokes (14) and Jonny Bairstow (25 off 14 balls) had a 37-run partnership.
There was another mini-collapse thereafter, as the hosts lost five wickets for 21 runs in the last 14 balls to finish below the 200-run mark.
As it happened:
It's all over! India cruise to a sensational win as Men In Blue demolish England by 7 wickets and clinch series 2-1.
HUNDRED!! Rohit Sharma slams his 3rd T20I century off 56 balls. Take a bow!
At the end of 17 overs India reach 170/3. The visitors now need 29 more from 18 balls.
Wicket! Well set Virat Kohli is caught and bowled by Chris Jordan for 43. India have lost their skipper at a crucial time.
SIX! What a shot!!! Kohli walks down the ground and hammers Adil Rashid for a maximum over long-on.
50-run partnership between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the third wicket.
Fifty! Rohit Sharma brings up his 16th T20I half-century with a boundary. This fifty came off 28 deliveries. Rohit also became the second Indian batsman after Kohli to complete 2000 T20I runs.
India reach 70/2 after 6 overs as they chase 199. Rahul's dismissal has halted India's charge.
Wicket! India lose their second wicket as dangerous looking KL Rahul (19) is departs as Chris Jordan takes a sensational near the boundary ropes. The batsman tried to hit a consecutive six but falls short of clearing the fence and Jordan pouches a sensational catch. Jake Ball gets a scalp. India: 62/2.
Wicket! Shikhar Dhawan departs for 5 as he's caught by Jake Ball at fine leg and David Willey gets the first scalp. India 21/1.
Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan start India's run chase in response to England's 198/9. 11 runs came from the first over for India as Rohit opened his and team's account with a maximum.
End of the innings! England lost their pace in the last four overs as Indian bowlers scripted a remarkable comeback to pull things back and restrict the hosts to 198/9 in 20 overs. Wickets kept perishing in the last five overs as India now have a target of 199 to chase.
Wickets! Run Out. Chris Jordan is run out for 4 as MS Dhoni hits bulls eye on the final delivery of the innings. Liam Plunkett departs and Siddharth Kaul gets a wicket. England 8 down. Umesh Yadav rattles David Willey's wicket and England are 7 down.
Wicket! Jonny Bairstow departs for 25 as he nicks Pandya and Dhoni does the rest. England are six down. Pandya grabs a four-for.
Wicket! Ben Stokes (14) is caught by Virat Kohli as he tried to hit Pandya for a big shot. Third wicket for Hardik and England are 177/5.
England reach 150/4 after 15 overs with Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes present at the crease. Chahal has been the pick of Indian bowlers so far.
Wickets! Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni combine to get two wickets in a single over. First Eoin Morgan (6) and later Alex Hales (30) were caught behind by Dhoni and Pandya bagged two wickets. England are now four down but still going strong.
Tidy! Yuzvendra Chahal leaked 7 runs from the third over he bowled. He's been bowling well in this match.
14 runs came from over no. 10 bowled by Chahar and a wicket. England have reached 111/2 after 10 overs. Two new batsmen are present at the crease but Hales is also looking dangerous.
Wicket! Dangerous Jason Roy departs after 31-ball 67 and debutant Deepak Chahar gets his maiden T20I scalp. Roy was looking to cut Chahar but edged it and MS Dhoni pouches it behind the stumps. England: 103/2 after 9.2 overs.
Wicket! Jos Buttler is cleaned up by Siddharth Kaul after England batters smashed 12 runs from his over. Buttler walks back for 34 and hosts lose their first wicket for 94. Finally some respite for India. England 94/1.
Fifty! Half-century off 23 balls. Jason Roy is looking in ominous touch today and the Indian bowlers are looking for a shelter as they are being hit all round the park.
4,4,6,6,1,1! Absolute Carnage! Jason Roy hammered Hardik Pandya in the first over. England reach 73/0 after 6 overs. What a sensational start this has been for England?
4,0,0,4,0,6! Jason Roy too joins the party as he scored 16 from that over bowled by Umesh Yadav. England 43/0 after 4 overs.
Good comeback from Chahar in the second over as he conceded 6 from it. However, Jos Buttler struck a boundary in that over as well. England: 29/0 after 3.
Umesh Yadav bowled the second over for India and after bowling three tight deliveries, he was hit for two boundaries. 10 runs came from that over. England: 23/0 after 2 overs.
Superb start for England, as Jos Buttler hammers three boundaries off that 1st over bowled by Deepak. 13 runs leaked by the debutant in the first over.
Start of England's innings! Jason Roy and Jos Buttler open innings for England. Deepak Chahar, the debutant, starts with the new ball.
Match Facts! Adil Rashid has taken eight wickets across his last two appearances at the County Ground in Bristol for England (both ODIs); including his best-ever List A figures (5/27 v Ireland). Joe Root has been involved in three previous England innings at this ground (all ODIs); he’s currently averaging 144 there for his country, including an 84 in his most recent outing (also 11* and 49*). Alex Hales hit his ninth T20I score of 50+ in the second match of this series, no England player has more (Eoin Morgan also 9), it was just the second time he hasn’t opened the batting for the side, hitting 49 against Australia in June on the other occasion (also at 4). Rohit Sharma has been dismissed for three ducks in 2018 in T20I cricket, the joint most of any batsman (also Rubel Hossain). Rohit Sharma needs just 14 runs to follow in the footsteps of Virat Kohli and become the fifth player to score 2,000 T20I runs (also Shoaib Malik, Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill). England are sat on 49 wins and 49 defeats in this form of the game; they could join six other nations in recording 50 victories or if they lose this match, they will become only the third team to reach 50 T20I losses.
Match Facts! England hold a narrow head to head advantage over India (W7, L6), however their win in Cardiff ended a run of three straight defeats against them. India have won all seven of their previous 3-match bilateral T20I series, a win in this game would extend that 100% run to eight series. India have not lost consecutive matches in a bilateral series since 2015 when South Africa were the tourists in India. England have played at this venue twice before in T20I cricket; losing to Pakistan and Sri Lanka there in 2006 and 2011 respectively.