England defeated India in the third T20I of the five-match match series at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot on Tuesday, January 28. The visitors bossed in both departments to register a 26-run win in the third game. The English batters took their team to a strong total of 171 before the bowlers displayed great discipline to restrict India to only 145/9.
This was India's first loss at the Rajkot-based venue after more than seven years. They had last dropped a T20I in Rajkot in November 2017 against New Zealand.
Hardik Pandya kept the fight going for India, however, he could not get his team over the line in the Rajkot conditions that seemed to favour the spinners. Adil Rashid and Jamie Overton were the pick of the bowlers for the England side. Rashid kept it tight as he did not let the hosts breathe easy. He picked last match's hero Tilak Varma's wicket as he cleaned him up with a brilliant leg-break.
Abhishek Sharma had provided the hosts a fine start but they lost Sanju Samson early. Suryakumar Yadav looked to get going with a six but top-edged his scoop to the wicketkeeper Phil Salt.
Washington Sundar was promoted above Axar Patel and Dhruv Jurel and he struggled big time. Sundar struggled his way to six from 15 balls before falling to Overton. Hardik Pandya was the only hope for a magic, but when he was caught at long-on in the 19th over with India still needing 42, it was all done and dusted.
England had made 171/9 batting first with Varun Chakravarthy starring. Chakravarthy picked up another five-wicket haul as he continued his brilliant form with the ball. This was his second fifer in T20Is, making him just the third Indian after Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kuldeep Yadav to take multiple fifers in the format.
Ben Duckett, who did not get into the double digits in the previous two matches, stood out with his aggressive intent in the first phase of the England batting. Jos Buttler spent some time in the middle but fell to the magic of Chakravarthy. Liam Livingstone unleased his strokes but was dismissed on 43 by Hardik Pandya.