Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli fire as India level series with 7-wicket win in 2nd T20I vs England
Half-centuries from debutant Ishan Kishan (56 from 32) and Virat Kohli (73* from 49) complemented a solid bowling performance as India leveled the five-match T20I series 1-1.
Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar claimed two scalps each as England were held to 164 for 6 after being sent into bat in the second T20I in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
India got off to a poor start in the chase of 165, as KL Rahul nicked one from Sam Curran that was pushed across him to head back without scoring. However, Ishan Kishan and skipper Kohli helped India recover to 50 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.
Ishan Kishan got off the mark in impressive fashion, flicking Jofra Archer off his pads for a four. He took a liking to Tom Curran, crashing him for a six over long-on and then spanking him for two more fours in the same over - one through covers and the other behind square.
At the other end, Kohli was dropped down the leg-side off Chris Jordan’s bowling and went on make England pay. The captain and Ishan Kishan combined to loot 17 off Ben Stokes’ first over. A free-hit was edged over third-man by Kohli for a maximum, after which Ishan Kishan slapped a short ball over deep square leg for his second six.
The day was to get worse for Stokes as he dropped a straightforward chance off Ishan Kishan at mid-on with the batsman on 40. Kishan raced to his fifty in style, launching Adil Rashid for back-to-back sixes - one smashed over deep midwicket and the other over long-on.
Ishan Kishan perished in the same over after missing a reverse sweep. He walked back with a memorable 56 off 32 on debut.
Coming in at number four, Rishabh Pant continued from where Ishan Kishan left off by slog-sweeping Rashid for a maximum early in his innings. He walloped Jordan for a four and six, and played a fine cameo of 26 from 13. As India eased to victory, Kohli brought up his fifty by launching Tom Curran over his head for a maximum.
The Indian captain finished off the match by pulling Jordan for six over fine leg, in the process also completing 3000 T20I runs. India got home by seven wickets, with 13 balls to spare.
Thakur, Sundar restrict England to 164 before Ishan Kishan blitz
The Indian bowlers did an excellent job to restrict England to 164 for 6 in the second T20I. Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar were the standout bowlers for India as they finnished with identical figures of 2 for 29. While Sundar did not allow batsmen to free their arms, Thakur unsettled them with his variations.
India got off to the perfect start with the ball after deciding to field first. Bhuvneshwar Kumar trapped Jos Buttler LBW in the first over for a duck as the batsman missed the ball while trying to work one on the leg side.
However, Jason Roy continued from where he left off in the previous game. He dispatched Sundar’s first ball over long-on for a maximum.
Yuzvendra Chahal had stated at a pre-match interview that he had some plans in place for the England opener. They clearly did not work.
In the leggie’s first over, Roy tonked Chahal into the stands over midwicket. In the bowler’s next over, the opener reverse swept the spinner twice for boundaries after missing out the first time.
Chahal had a chance to make amends when Roy hit one back hard at the leg-spinner. The ball was too quick for him though as it pinged him on the left thumb and went away.
For the second game in a row though the England opener fell short of his fifty. He perished to Sundar for 46 from 35, looking to clear cow corner.
The other batsmen in the team failed to make much of an impression. Dawid Malan (24) looked out of sorts. Having survived a close LBW call off Chahal, he perished to the same bowler next ball as India took a review.
Jonny Bairstow (20) hit Sundar for a six to deep square leg, but perished in the same over while looking for another big one as debutant Suryakumar Yadav took a juggling catch.
Thakur then foxed England skipper Eoin Morgan (28) with a slower ball. Ben Stokes (24) too fell going for the big hit against the pacer as England failed to get the final flourish.