Images from the second Twenty20 International between India and England, in Ahmedabad, on Sunday.
Virat Kohli scored a breezy fifty as India beat England by seven wickets in the second T20 International, in Ahmedabad, on Sunday to level the five-match series.
India’s skipper, who was out for a duck in a losing cause in the first T20I, was unbeaten on 72 with Shreyas Iyer (8) as the hosts overhauled England’s total of 164 for 6 with 13 balls to spare.
Kohli and debutant Ishan Kishan, who scored 56 off 32 balls, which included five fours and four sixes, rallied the team after the early loss of K L Rahul in the first over of the chase, putting on 94 runs for the second wicket in nine overs.
India sent out a new opening pair: the 22-year-old Kishan and experienced Rahul, while left-arm pacer Sam Curran opened the bowling for England.
Rahul was beaten off the first delivery as he looked to drive the full ball without any footwork. He looked tentative for the next three deliveries before perishing to the last ball of the over.
He poked at a wide out-swinger, got the edge and was caught behind for a duck by Buttler. Curran started off with a wicket maiden.
New-man in Kohli got cracking immediately, and with Kishan raised the 50-run stand, as India recovered well to 50 for one in six overs.
Kishan, on 40, got a ‘life’. The left-hander hit straight into his hands of Ben Stokes, who put down a simple catch at long-on, off the bowling of Adil Rashid. Stokes was had a bad day, having gone for 17 runs in the only over he bowled.
Kishan was harsh on Rashid and got to his fifty off 28 balls.
But Rashid had his revenge, trapping Kishan leg before wicket, after the review.
The youngster made his way after a cracking knock of 56 from 32 balls, which put India in control at 94 for 2 in 10 overs at the halfway stage, needing another 71 from the last 10 overs for victory.
Chris Jordan returned to the attack and got England their third wicket.
Rishabh Pant, who was firing on all cylinders, went for another big hit over square leg and was caught at deep midwicket by Jonny Bairstow.
Pant was back after an entertaining cameo of 26 from 13 balls.
India were three down, but well on course at 130 for in the 14th over what with Kohli, who later brought up his fifty with a six off Tom Curran off 35 balls, well in control.
There was nothing the English bowlers could as Kohli blazed away before finishing off victory with a six off the penultimate ball of the 18th over.
Earlier, India’s bowlers kept it tight in the slog overs to restrict England to 164 for six.
England scored just 35 runs from the last five, thanks to some good bowling at the fag end by pacer Shardul Thakur, who took two wickets for 29 runs in four overs.
England were jolted early as Jos Buttler (0) was out leg before wicket to Bhuvneshwar Kumar off the third ball of the innings, but Jason Roy (46 off 35) and Dawid Malan (24 off 23) shared 63 runs off 47 balls to take the England innings forward.
India, who lost the first match of the series, made a couple of changes, giving Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav their debuts. They replaced Shikhar Dhawan and Axar Patel respectively.
Batting mainstay Rohit Sharma was rested again.
Buttler and Roy opened the batting for England, while pacer Bhuvneshwar kicked off the bowling for India, who went into the match with a bowler less.
Bhuvneshwar gave India the early breakthrough with the wicket of Buttler, who was trapped leg before wicket and out for a first-ball duck.
The right-hander tried to clip an in-swinger through the leg side but missed it and was trapped in front. He walked back without taking the review as England were one down with just one run on the board.
New batsman Malan and Roy then went about steading the innings though India did well to keep England in check in the Powerplay, allowing them 44 for 1 in the first six overs.
Just when Malan and Roy looked well-settled for a big partnership, having brought up England's 50 in the seventh over, Yuzvendra Chahal gave India its second success of the evening.
Malan attempted the reverse sweep off the first ball of Chahal’s second over, but missed it and was rapped on the pad. The leg-spinner was convinced about the leg before wicket appeal, but the umpire wasn’t and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and skipper Virat Kohli decided against the review.
However, Malan attempted the sweep off the next delivery as well and was beaten again and hit on the pads. The LBW shout was turned down again, but this time Kohli was quick seek the review.
Replays suggested the ball was in line and going on to hit the stumps. The decision was reversed and Malan out after labouring for 24 off 23 balls, as England were reduced to 64-2 in the ninth over.
Washington Sundar, back into the attack in the 12th over, then got his name among the wickets by dismissing Roy, who was looking menacing.
The England opener swung Sundar high over the leg side, but was unable to clear the boundary as Bhuvneshwar took a well-judged catch at deep midwicket.
Roy was out in the 40s yet again, for 46 off 35 balls, and England reduced to 91 for 3.
Roy had a ‘life’ on 44 after smashing a short ball straight back to Chahal, who was unable to take the sharp chance on his follow through to his right. The diminutive spinner sustained a painful blow on his left arm and needed attention from the team physio.
Sundar tasted his second success of the match, dismissing Jonny Bairstow for 20.
The right-hander top-edged his slog sweep high on the leg side and Suryakumar Yadav did well to take the catch despite a fumble.
England were 119-4 in the 14th over.
The slower deliveries then did the trick for the Indian pacers and Eoin Morgan perished, miscuing a slow off-break delivery from pacer Shardul Thakur.
England’s skipper tried to hit it over the off-side and was caught by wicketkeeper Pant for 28.
Thakur struck again in the last over.
Ben Stokes lofted one straight without getting the timing right and was caught by Hardik Pandya at long-on after scoring 24.
England finished with 164 for 6 in their 20 overs, scoring just 35 runs from the last five, thanks to some good bowling at the end from Thakur, who took 2 for 29 in four overs.
