A Thrilling Match with a Disappointing Outcome
Why India lost in the 3rd T20I against England? The third T20I match between India and England was an exciting thriller where both teams played high-quality cricket. Although the Indian team lost, the players put in great effort, especially Varun Chakravarthy, who delivered an outstanding performance.
Varun Chakravarthy’s Five-Wicket Haul
Varun Chakravarthy took his second five-wicket haul in T20I cricket, which was commendable. He was named the Man of the Match for his exceptional bowling performance. However, an unfortunate coincidence remains—whenever Varun Chakravarthy takes a five-wicket haul, India ends up losing the match. This has happened twice now, raising a strange statistic that seems to haunt the team.
Changes in India’s Playing XI
India made a major change in their playing XI by bringing in Mohammed Shami to replace Arshdeep Singh. Shami was returning after 15 months, likely in preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy. England’s Phil Salt, troubled by Arshdeep in the previous games, found relief in facing Shami but was soon dismissed by Hardik Pandya.
England’s Resilient Batting
Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler led England’s innings with some aggressive strokes. However, Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Buttler with the help of a confident review by Sanju Samson and Captain Surya Kumar Yadav. Soon after, spinners took control, with Axar Patel removing Duckett after his well-played half-century. Despite England losing wickets consistently, Liam Livingstone played a crucial role in boosting England’s total with explosive hitting in the final overs, taking England from 127/8 to 171.
Bowling Struggles and Tactical Concerns
Surya Kumar Yadav’s captaincy was scrutinized as England added 44 runs in the last four overs. Ravi Bishnoi, who struggled throughout the series, was ineffective yet again, which might cost him a place in the playing XI for the next match. Despite Chakravarthy’s heroics, India’s bowling unit failed to restrict England efficiently in the death overs.
India’s Chase and Middle-Order Collapse
India needed 172 runs to win, and expectations were high. However, openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma struggled. Samson, in particular, fell victim to Jofra Archer for the third consecutive match. Sharma played an aggressive knock but was inconsistent, and India’s chase soon lost momentum.
Surya Kumar Yadav’s poor form continued as he managed only 14 runs before being dismissed by Mark Wood. With Tilak Varma also falling early, India found itself in trouble. Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar attempted to stabilize the innings but slowed down the run rate drastically, with India failing to hit any boundaries between the 7th and 15th over.
Hardik Pandya’s Late Fightback
Hardik Pandya finally accelerated, scoring 40 runs with some big hits. However, his dismissal signaled the end of India’s hopes. Dhruv Jurel had no significant impact, and India eventually lost by 26 runs.
Despite this defeat, India still leads the five-match series 2-1. The upcoming matches will be crucial for India to bounce back and secure the series victory. Fans are eager to see how the team responds.