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India’s much-anticipated introduction of teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ended in disappointment as England sealed a four-wicket win in the second T20I at Old Trafford on Saturday, July 4, thanks to Jacob Bethell’s unbeaten 76 and a spell from Ravi Bishnoi.
Defending 191, India appeared to be in control before Bishnoi’s disastrous 17th over swung the contest decisively in England’s favour. The leg-spinner leaked 29 runs, including two no-balls in the opening two deliveries, allowing Bethell to launch three towering sixes as England raced to victory with an over to spare and took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
The afternoon began with excitement surrounding 15-year-old Sooryavanshi’s international debut but ultimately belonged to the
22-year-old Bethell, whose composed knock anchored England’s successful chase.
England’s reply had begun disastrously. Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh struck twice in the opening over, dismissing both Phil Salt and Jos Buttler without either batter troubling the scorers.
However, skipper Harry Brook counter-attacked spectacularly, smashing 39 off just 15 deliveries. Brook took particular liking to Arshdeep, plundering 27 runs from one over with three sixes and two fours before being caught down the leg side off Axar Patel, having already shifted the momentum in England’s favour.
Bethell then stitched together a 67-run partnership with Tom Banton (39 off 32), expertly negotiating India’s spin attack. England’s batters found it easier to line up Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy, whose flatter, quicker deliveries sat up nicely on the skiddy surface.
Axar, returning figures of 1/19 from four overs, was the only Indian spinner to apply pressure.
Captain Shreyas Iyer briefly dragged India back into the contest by reintroducing Arshdeep in the 13th over, with Banton holing out at deep extra cover. But Bishnoi’s expensive spell extinguished India’s hopes.
Earlier, India posted 190/7 after Iyer elected to bat, with Tilak Varma providing the late flourish. Unbeaten on 24 from 11 balls, Tilak hammered 17 runs off Jofra Archer in the final over to lift India to a competitive total.
All eyes were on Sooryavanshi, who became India’s youngest international debutant, eclipsing Sachin Tendulkar’s nearly 37-year-old record. The teenager showed glimpses of his fearless strokeplay, striking two sixes in a 14-run cameo off 10 balls before being stumped by Buttler off Will Jacks.
Abhishek Sharma (43 off 24), Iyer (37 off 22) and Ishan Kishan (49 off 43) all made useful contributions but struggled to dominate England’s disciplined bowling attack.
Kishan, in particular, found it tough to pick the slower balls and changes of length.
England’s bowlers mixed their pace cleverly throughout the innings. Sam Curran starred with 3/33, using his variations expertly after the powerplay, while Jacks (1/22), Liam Dawson (1/27) and Adil Rashid (0/21) kept the scoring in check.
Archer’s pace and bounce initially troubled Abhishek, who played and missed repeatedly before settling in. Sooryavanshi, too, struggled against the extra lift but still managed to clear the ropes twice, first with an audacious scoop off Archer before launching Tongue over long-on.
Brook’s move to introduce Jacks proved decisive, as the off-spinner lured the teenager out of his crease with a looping delivery to complete the stumping.
Abhishek eventually found his rhythm against the slower bowlers, targeting the shorter boundary, but his dismissal came via an unfortunate full toss that he flicked straight to Banton at midwicket.
Iyer and Kishan added 65 for the third wicket, though neither batter was able to truly dictate terms on a surface where the larger dimensions made boundary-hitting difficult.
(With PTI Inputs)
