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PIX: Buttler, Wood power England to easy win in 3rd T20

Last updated on: March 16, 2021 23:36 IST

Images from the third T20 International between India and England, in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday.

Jos Buttler hits a six

IMAGE: England’s Jos Buttler hits a six in the third T20 International against India, at the Narendra Modi stadium, in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday. Photograph: BCCI

Jos Buttler led the way as England did well with bat and ball to beat India by eight wickets in the third Twenty20 International, in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday.

Chasing 157 for victory, the visitors cruised home with 10 balls to spare and took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

 

Buttler finished unbeaten with a superb career-best knock of 83 from 52 balls, including five fours and four sixes, while Jonny Bairstow stroked 40 off 28 balls.

Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates the wicket of Jason Roy

IMAGE: Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates with his India teammates after dismissing Jason Roy. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, Virat Kohli's second successive fifty of the series rallied India, after the loss of three early wickets, to 156 for 6.

The skipper scored an unbeaten 77 off 46 balls, which was studded with eight fours and four sixes, after the team was reeling on 86 for 5 at one stage. 

Mark Wood was England’s most successful bowler, with three wickets for three runs from four overs, while Chris Jordan picked 2 for 35.

Jos Buttler celebrates after scoring 50

IMAGE: Jos Buttler celebrates after scoring 50. Photograph: BCCI

Like India, England were rattled early after India introduced spin in the fourth over and leggie Yuzvendra Chahal came into the attack.

Buttler, who fell for a duck in the previous match, targeted the spinner straightaway, coming down the track and lofting him high over the long-on fence for a huge six.

He came down again, but this time was unable to get to the pitch of the ball and clipped it to midwicket for one. Off the next delivery Jason Roy went for the reverse sweep, but hit it straight to point and was caught by Rohit for 9.

The move to bring in Chahal early paid off as England lost an early wicket with 23 runs on the board.

Dawid Malan is  stumped by Rishabh Pant off Washington Sundar

IMAGE: Dawid Malan is stumped by Rishabh Pant off Washington Sundar. Photograph: BCCI

The early reverse hardly mattered as Buttler went about lashing at everything sent down to him as England made most of the Powerplay, scoring 57 for 1 in six overs. He raced to 50 -- his 11th in T20 Internationals -- off just 26 balls.

Dawid Malan too showed promise as he hit a six early. However, Washington Sundar, in his second over, had him stumped.

The batsman came down in an attempt for a big hit but missed and wicketkeeper Pant did the needful.

Malan was out for 18 and England reduced to 81 for 2.

Jonny Bairstow sends the ball to the boundary

IMAGE: Jonny Bairstow sends the ball to the boundary. Photograph: BCCI

England were in control though at 83 for 2 after 10 overs, Buttler accounting for 53 of those runs from 29 balls.

Dropped by Chahal on 81 in the tenth over, he continued to dominate as the runs came thick and fast.

Jonny Bairstow also did well, scoring 40 off 28 balls as England won easily.

Virat Kohli celebrates after completing his fifty during the third T20I in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

IMAGE: India’s skipper Virat Kohli celebrates after completing his fifty during the third T20I against England, in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, Kohli's second successive fifty of the series rallied India, after the loss of three early wickets, to 156 for 6.

Asked to bat first, the home side was rocked early by pacer Mark Wark, who dismissed openers K L Rahul and Ishan Kishan, but skipper Kohli stemmed the rot and held firm with a brilliant, unbeaten knock off 77 off 46 balls, which was studded with eight fours and four sixes, as India put up a fighting total after reeling on 86 for 5 at one stage.

Hardik Pandya hit two sixes in a useful contribution of 17 from 15 balls at the end to boost the total before falling to the last ball of the innings.

KL Rahul is bowled by England pacer Mark Wood.

IMAGE: KL Rahul is bowled by England pacer Mark Wood. Photograph: BCCI

Wood was England’s most successful bowler, with three wickets for 3 runs from his four overs, while Chris Jordan picked two for 2 for 35.

India fielded a third opening pair in as many matches, as Rohit Sharma, who replaced Suryakumar Yadav, walked out to the middle with K L Rahul, while England, who elected to field, opened with spin, leg-spinner Adil Rashid sending down the first over.

Mark Wood celebrates the wicket of KL Rahul

IMAGE: Mark Wood celebrates the wicket of KL Rahul with his England teammates. Photograph: BCCI

Pacer Jofra Archer was introduced from the other end and could have tasted success immediately, but dropped a simple return catch off his first delivery as Rohit chipped the ball straight back to him.

But England struck in the third over through fast bowler Mark Wood, who cleaned up Rahul with his second delivery, a cracker which beat the right-hander for pace and crashed into the stumps.

Mark Wood celebrates after dismissing Rohit Sharma

IMAGE: Mark Wood gets a high-five from skipper Eoin Morgan after dismissing Rohit Sharma. Photograph: BCCI

India were 7 for 1 in the third over.

It was Rahul’s second successive duck. He has scored just a solitary run in three innings in the ongoing T20 series.

Things got worse for the home side as Wood got the big wicket of Rohit, having him caught at short fine leg for 15.

The opener made room to play as Wood directed a quicker one at the body. Rohit went through with the pull shot, but got it high on the bat and spooned a simple catch to Archer at short fine leg.

India were 20 for 2 in the fifth over after both openers fell cheaply.

Chris Jordan celebrates the wicket of Ishan Kishan

IMAGE: Chris Jordan is congratulated by his England teammates after dismissing Ishan Kishan. Photograph: BCCI

England then brought Chris Jordan into the attack and the pacer struck with his second delivery.

Ishan Kishan, who came in at the fall of Rahul’s wicket, top-edged a pull shot and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler ran back and took a well-judged catch.

Kishan, who was man of the match in the second T20I after scoring 56 off 32 balls, was out for 4 as India were reduced to 24 for 3 in the sixth over.

Sam Curran runs out Rishabh Pant

IMAGE: Rishabh Pant reacts after being run-out by Sam Curran. Photograph: BCCI

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant steadied the innings a bit in a 19-run partnership before India were rocked by the key wicket of Pant, who was run out for 25.

Responding to Kohli’s call for a difficult third single, after wicketkeeper Buttler failed to gather the ball cleanly, Pant was unable to make it despite a dive as Sam Curran, the bowler, broke the stumps.

India were 64 for 4 in the 12th over.

Mark Wood celebrates the wicket of Shreyas Iyer

IMAGE: Mark Wood celebrates the wicket of Shreyas Iyer. Photograph: BCCI

New-man in Shreyas Iyer’s stay was short.

Making room to slash Wood over the off-side he ended up hitting straight into the hands of Dawid Malan, at sweeper cover, and perished for 9.

Wood picked his third wicket and India were reduced to 86 for 5 in the 15th over. 

Virat Kohli hits a boundary

IMAGE: Virat Kohli hits a boundary. Photograph: BCCI

Shortly after, India brought up the 100 of the innings in the 16th over as Kohli registered his second successive fifty in the series off 37 balls.

He kept his cool and went blazing in the company of Pandya.

The latter hit two sixes in his 17 off 15 balls before miscuing the last ball of the innings while going for another big swing off Jordan and Archer took a superb catch running back at mid-off.

Thanks to Kohli's fighting knock, India were able to garner 69 runs from the last five overs and go past the 150-run mark.