MANCHESTER — India secured a historic T20 series victory over England with a commanding six-wicket win at Old Trafford, showcasing their dominance in the shortest format of the game. The victory marked India's first T20 series triumph on English soil since 2018, underlining their status as one of the world's premier white-ball teams.
Chasing a modest target of 122, India reached the total with 16 balls to spare, thanks to a composed unbeaten 33 from captain Rohit Sharma and a quickfire 26 from Rishabh Pant. The win sealed a 2-1 series victory after England had leveled the series with a win in Birmingham. "This is a special win for us," said Sharma after the match. "The way we bounced back after the second game shows the character of this team."
Bowlers Set Up the Victory
India's bowlers were the architects of the win, restricting England to just 121 in their 20 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/14) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/10) delivered exceptional opening spells, while spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (2/10) and Hardik Pandya (1/18) tightened the screws in the middle overs. England's batting lineup, usually explosive in home conditions, never got going.
Jos Buttler, England's captain, admitted his team was outplayed: "Credit to India, they bowled brilliantly and put us under pressure from the start. We were 20-30 runs short, and on this pitch, that made all the difference. We'll learn from this and come back stronger."
Key Moments of the Match
The match turned decisively in India's favor during England's innings:
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Jason Roy in the first over, setting the tone for India's dominance.
- Jasprit Bumrah's double-wicket over (removing Dawid Malan and Liam Livingstone) left England reeling at 31/3.
- England's middle order, including Buttler (18) and Moeen Ali (14), failed to accelerate against India's disciplined bowling.
Pant's Finishing Touch
While India's chase was steady, Rishabh Pant provided the fireworks with three sixes in his 13-ball cameo. His fearless approach against England's spinners, particularly Adil Rashid, ensured there were no late jitters. "I just wanted to finish the game early," Pant said post-match. "The bowlers did the hard work, so it was our job to get the runs comfortably."
Series Takeaways
The series highlighted several positives for both teams:
- India's bowling depth, with Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar in top form, bodes well for the T20 World Cup.
- England's batting, despite the loss, remains formidable, with Buttler and Livingstone showing glimpses of their power.
- India's middle order, led by Pant and Hardik Pandya, looks increasingly settled.
Looking Ahead
With the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year, both teams will take valuable lessons from this series. India's ability to adapt to English conditions—historically challenging for them—was particularly impressive. "We wanted to test ourselves in these conditions," said Sharma. "This win gives us a lot of confidence moving forward."
England, meanwhile, will regroup before their next white-ball assignments. Buttler emphasized the need for consistency: "We've shown we can beat anyone on our day, but we need to do it more often. India were the better team this series, and we have to learn from that." The rivalry between these two cricketing giants continues to deliver thrilling contests, with fans already looking forward to the next encounter.