Synopsis
In the fourth T20I, England's Jos Buttler recognized his team's promising start but lamented lost momentum, contributing to India's thrilling 15-run victory, resulting in a 3-1 series win for India. Buttler emphasized the need for greater commitment to their game plan.Key Takeaways
- England started strong but faltered at key moments.
- Jos Buttler emphasized commitment to the game plan.
- Saqib Mahmood achieved a historic triple-wicket maiden.
- India's partnership of 88 was crucial for their innings.
- England's lower order struggled under pressure.
Pune, Jan 31 (NationPress) England’s captain, Jos Buttler, recognized his team's impressive start but conceded that they lost critical momentum during the chase, allowing India to secure the T20I series 3-1 with a nail-biting 15-run victory in the fourth match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Friday.
Buttler stressed the necessity for his squad to adhere more closely to their game plan to realize their full potential.
“We commenced excellently, taking wickets during the powerplay, and at the end of the batting powerplay, we were in a strong position. We should have secured the win. We executed some commendable actions in the match. We dropped Dube on his first ball, and he went on to play a fantastic innings.
“With the bat, we were in an outstanding position but lost a couple of wickets in quick succession,” he remarked after the match on Friday.
When asked about his reflections from this match, Buttler noted several key takeaways his team would consider. “We need to double down on our playing style; I was really impressed with how we've committed to that. I believe we can enhance that commitment, and when we do, we'll achieve more,” Buttler stated post-match.
The match was filled with dramatic moments, starting with England’s fast bowler, Saqib Mahmood, making history with the first-ever triple-wicket maiden in men’s T20 internationals. Mahmood’s performance reduced India to a shocking 12/3, with key players Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Suryakumar Yadav all dismissed within the first two overs. Nonetheless, India responded emphatically, with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube seizing control of the innings. The pair established an 88-run partnership, both finishing with 53 runs, leading India to a competitive total of 181/9.
England’s chase began with aggressive intent as openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett capitalized on India’s seamers during the power-play. Duckett, notably in sublime form, raced to 39 off just 19 balls. England appeared well on track at 62/0 in six overs. However, India’s bowlers mounted a swift comeback. Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Duckett on the last ball of the power-play, with Axar Patel following up with the pivotal wicket of Salt. Bishnoi struck again, removing Buttler for just 2 runs, leaving England at 67/3 in the eighth over.
Amid the setbacks, England’s Harry Brook rose to the occasion with a counter-attack. His explosive fifty off 26 balls kept the visitors in contention. Yet, just as England seemed to regain control, Varun Chakravarthy made a crucial breakthrough, dismissing Brook for 51 and Brydon Carse in quick succession, leaving England in disarray.
Harshit Rana, who made his T20I debut as a concussion substitute, made an immediate impact, dismissing Liam Livingstone first, and continued to impress by striking again to remove Jacob Bethell and then Jamie Overton in the final over. His figures of 3/33 were vital in India’s victory. As England’s lower order crumbled under pressure, Arshdeep Singh sealed the win by dismissing Saqib Mahmood, concluding the innings at 166/9.
With this victory, India clinched the series 3-1, ensuring that the final T20I at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai would be a dead rubber.
