NE SPORTS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, MAR 20
India recorded their sixth straight series win in T20Is and extended their unbeaten run to 8 series as Virat Kohli & Co. thumped England by 36 runs in the series-deciding fifth T20I at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Asked to bat first once again, India shrugged off the toss factor for the second time in a row to post a huge total of 224 runs on the board riding on Rohit Sharma’s quickfire 64 and skipper Kohli’s unbeaten 80.
C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S! 🏆🏆#TeamIndia @GCAMotera #INDvENG @Paytm pic.twitter.com/V0zCW4BugT
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 20, 2021
Invited to bat first, skipper Kohli opened the innings with Rohit for the first time as KL Rahul was dropped from the playing XI to make way for T Natarajan, who added depth to India’s bowling attack. Rahul’s absence was not felt at all as Rohit and Kohli got the hosts off to a flyer in Ahmedabad. Rohit took the attack on the England bowlers, racing to his fifty off just 30 balls.
Congratulations #TeamIndia
Beating the world no. 1 side 3-2 is a memorable achievement. Through the bubble life, the team has come together and created moments to cheer up the nation 🇮🇳🙏🏻#IndvsEng— Jay Shah (@JayShah) March 20, 2021
The Hitman notched up 64 runs off just 34 balls with the help of 5 sixes and 4 fours. Suryakumar Yadav then joined Kohli in the middle and took no time in displaying his range of shots as he slammed a quickfire 32 off just 17 deliveries. Kohli continued hammering the England bowlers from one end and posted an unbeaten stand of 81 runs for the third wicket Hardik Pandya (39 off 17).
That Winning Feeling! 😁👏#TeamIndia win the 5⃣th & final T20I by 36 runs & complete a remarkable come-from-behind series win. 👍👍@Paytm #INDvENG
Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/esxKh1iZRh pic.twitter.com/FIJzPFX5Ra
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 20, 2021
The brilliant show from the top-order propelled India to a strong total of 224 runs and put them on the front foot in the series-decider. Bhuvneshwar Kumar proved his class with the ball as he got India a crucial breakthrough in the very first over by sending Jason Roy packing on a duck before following it up with a brilliant spell as he finished with excellent figures of 15/2 in his 4 overs.
After Roy’s dismissal, Jos Buttler (52) and Dawid Malan (68) kept England in the hunt with half-centuries apiece as they added 130 runs for the second wicket but England lost the plot after Buttler’s dismissal with the required running rate also running out of their hands. None of the batsmen in the middle-order managed to put up a fight as Indian bowlers produced a clinical show in the death overs.
While Bhuvneshwar picked up the important wickets of Roy and Buttler and the most economical bowler for India, Shardul Thakur was also among the wickets and picked up a three-wicket haul despite going for runs. England were restricted on 188/8 as they fell short by 36 runs to lose the series-decider by 36 runs and the five-match series 3-2.
With the defeat, England’s unbeaten streak of eight T20I series also came to an end while India extended their unbeaten record to eight series in the shortest format. India last lost a T20I series against Australia in 2019 and have since won seven and drawn one out of their last eight T20I series.
