Ishan Kishan’s explosive half century along with Virat Kohli’s well paced 73 not out helped India register an emphatic 7-wicket win against England in Ahmedabad in the second T20I. The five-match series stands level at 1-1.
After the bowlers kept England from getting away, India lost KL Rahul early before Kishan delivered a knockout blow with a 32-ball-56. While Kishan smashed it to all parts of the ground, Kohli settled in and then went through the gears to end with a flourish.
Having opted to field first, India made the perfect start as Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck within the first three deliveries of the game. Kumar trapped Jos Buttler LBW for a first ball duck.
Despite the early wicket, both Jason Roy and Dawid Malan tried to force the issue but struggled as the bowlers found some good lines and lengths.
India used four bowlers in the powerplay, including Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar as England managed 44/1. Malan and Roy scored 20 off the next two overs before India struck again with Yuzvendra Chahal. The leg-spinner trapped Dawid Malan (24) LBW while he tried to sweep him early in the 9th over.
Bairstow and Roy could not kick on after that as they would have liked with the opener losing his wicket when he was caught by Bhuvneshwar at deep-square leg off the bowling of Washington Sundar as he looked to go for the big hit. Roy, who hit 2 sixes and 4 boundaries, scored 46.
Sundar then came back for his final over right after and dismissed Bairstow for 20. The right-hander, who got lucky with a big hit early in the over, failed to connect with another one and was caught by Suryakumar Yadav for 20.
England kept losing wickets at regular intervals and the next to depart was Eoin Morgan, just as he looked set for a strong finish. Morgan scored 28 before a miscued shot allowed Rishabh Pant to complete a simple catch, giving Shardul Thakur his first scalp of the game.
In the 17 deliveries after Morgan’s wicket, England scored 22 runs with Ben Stokes losing his wicket in the final over against Thakur as he looked to accelerate further.
England finished with 164/6 after 20 overs.
In response, India lost KL Rahul early yet again as he edged the final ball of the first over from Sam Curran for Jos Buttler to catch. Rahul, who scored 1 in the first game, was gone for 0 with India having played out a maiden wicket over to start with.
Kishan responded to the situation in the only way he knows and brought out his favourite pick up shot on the leg side after opening his account with a leg glance for 4 of Jofra Archer.
While Kishan threw the kitchen sink at England, Kohli settled in too with a couple of well hit boundaries as India reached 50/1 at the end of the powerplay. The duo continued in their merry ways despite the field restrictions as Ben Stokes got taken for 17 runs, including sixes over third man off the outside edge of Kohli’s bat off a free-hit and crisp hook over square leg from Kishan.
Kishan then brought up his half-century on debut with a couple of sixes of Adil Rashid before being trapped LBW of the final ball of the 10th over as he tried a reverse sweep against the spinner. Kishan’s blistering 56 however had put India firmly in command with a94-run partnership with Kohli.
New man Rishabh Pant kept up the tempo from the get-go and smashed two boundaries and two sixes before departing for 26 as he attempted a big hit off Chris Jordan and holed out to Bairstow.
Well set by now, Kohli, who was having some trouble in recent games, then broke free and brought up his half century with a six over the bowler’s head in the 15th over.
Kohli did not let up and finished off the chase in style with a half-flick-half-pull off Jordan that flew into the stands over square leg.
India won by 7 wickets, levelling the five-match series at 1-1.
India have handed debuts to Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan and they will take the place of Shikhar Dhawan and Axar Patel in the playing XI. Kishan will open the batting along with KL Rahul, Kohli confirmed at the toss. England have also made a change to their playing XI with Tom Curran replacing the fast bowler Mark Wood.
India XI: KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal
England XI: Jason Roy, Jos Buttler(w), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan(c), Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid
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