Published: Jan 29, 2017, 09:52 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 30, 2017, 09:59 AM (IST)
Jasprit Bumrah’s last-over heroics gave India a 5-run win against England, keeping the series alive. The second of the three-T20I series, at Nagpur’s Vidarbha Cricket Association, produced a thrilling finish, that saw a bowler get the better of batsmen in a format that seldom favours the former. Ashish Nehra’s 3 for 28, Chris Jordan’s 3 for 22, and Moeen Ali’s economic spell were more superior than batters’ performance, barring KL Rahul, who played a characteristic innings of 71 off 46 — 50 per cent of India’s total. However, both teams will now play the decider at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium.
“Lot of determination out there, and winning in India is difficult. We aren’t taking our last two wins for granted,” said a humble Eoin Morgan after inviting India to bat first. Virat Kohli, however, did not shy away from mentioning India’s embarrassing 47-run defeat in the opener of ICC World T20 2016, at the same venue. “Seeing the last game against New Zealand, it became a lot difficult to chase, and the wicket became slow and it was turning a lot.”
The match, to put things into perspective, was a reminiscence of the Kanpur T20I, for England pacers mixed up their pace to keep the Indian batsmen guessing, so much so that they stuttered to 69 for 3 after 10.3 overs.
Though Kohli scored 21 off 15 inclusive 2 fours and a six, the stalwarts Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh failed to use the long handle to devastating effect, adding only 11 off 22 between them.
However, KL Rahul rose to the occasion and scored 71 off 47 to salvage his horrid run of form. Amidst all this, Moeen Ali continued his stellar performance, ending up with match figures of 4-0-20-1, bowling under an economy rate of six yet again. But it was pacer Chris Jordon, who took three crucial wickets of Kohli, Rahul, and MS Dhoni to restrict India to 144 for 8.
In reply, England openers Jason Roy and Sam Billings each scored a six off Yuzvendra Chahal.
The visitors had dished out a plan: go all guns blazing and mount pressure on the hosts. But as things looked gloomy for Kohli, his old warhorse Ashish Nehra dismissed the openers in consecutive deliveries and turned fortunes towards India.
And then, the onus was on another experienced bloke who was benched in the first T20I, giving newcomer Parvez Rasool a nod – Amit Mishra.
The leg-spinner coupled his leg-spinners and googlies with off-cutters to keep England batsmen on the back foot. The tactic paid off as the in-form Morgan swept one to Hardik Pandya at deep mid-wicket. Mishra provided further excitement to the crowd, castling Ben Stokes with a peach of a ball. Nonetheless, the jubilance was cut short by the umpire, for Mishra had overstepped, giving England a free hit and Stokes a respite.
Mishra’s mistake cost India a vital 38 runs, as Stokes took only 27 deliveries before Nehra came to India’s rescue yet again to revive India’s hopes to keep the series alive.
England needed 41 off the last 5 overs, with batting firepower waiting to unleash their glare.
However, England had forgotten the fact that India had Bumrah, the man with a slingshot action. After Nehra conceded 5 runs and took a wicket, Bumrah followed it with a 3-run over. England needed 24 off the last 2 overs.
It was evident that Nehra would bowl the penultimate over, giving Bumrah the opportunity to end the proceedings.
Nehra gave away only 4 runs off the first 3 balls. The pressure was now on England needing 21 off 9. At strike was Jos Buttler, England’s most successful batsman in limited-overs for the past 2 overs.
Nehra, so far, had stuck to change-in-pace deliveries and immaculate yorkers. All he had to do was was sensibly apply himself. But let us not disregard the fact that T20 cricket sucks out the quality out of a quality cricketer in crucial junctures. And the 37-year-old succumbed to pressure, bowling a short-of-length ball that Buttler smitten it to a boundary on the leg-side. He was not done, though. He managed a mistimed stroke over Kohli’s head at long-on, with England needing only 8 off the last over.
Meanwhile, Root was unbeaten on 38. The fours, sixes, and wickets had the crowd forget that England’s No. 3 batsman was still at the crease.
In thick of the things, for India, was Bumrah, in the pursuit of levelling the series.
Bumrah, despite going for the toe-crushing yorkers he is known for, hit the length area and uprooted Joe’s stumps, giving India the much-needed momentum at the start of a deciding over.
A run and dot ball later, Bumrah outfoxed Buttler with a slower delivery to leave England needing 7 off the last 3 balls.
Bumrah deceived Jordan with another off-cutter, giving Moeen a task to score 6 off the last ball. Nonetheless, England did not have Liam Plunkett to hit the last-ball six.
Bumrah came around the wicket and bowled a low full-toss, beating Moeen’s outside edge and gifting India a five-run victory and to finish with 4-0-20-2.
Brief scores:
India 144 for 8 (Virat Kohli 21, KL Rahul 71; Chris Jordan 2 for 22, Moeen Ali 1 for 20) beat England 139 for 6 (Joe Root 38, Ben Stokes 38; Ashish Nehra 3 for 28, Jasprit Bumrah 2 for 20) by 5 runs
Man of the Match: Jasprit Bumrah
