Abhishek Sharma was the wrecker-in-chief as India registered their 2nd biggest T20I win.© BCCI

The Indian cricket team scripted history during its fifth and final T20I match against England at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Abhishek Sharma was the wrecker-in-chief as India smashed their highest-ever score in the powerplay in the format, 95 runs at the loss of one wicket. Boundaries were flowing all-around the park, thanks to terrific hitting from Abhishek as he reached his fifty in only 17 balls. By the end of powerplay, the southpaw reached the score of 58 off only 21 balls. Meanwhile, Tilak Varma scored 19 off 8 balls and Sanju Samson, who was dismissed in the powerplay, hit 16 off 7 balls during the first six overs of India’s play.

India’s highest scores in T20I powerplay –

95/1 vs England in Mumbai in 2025

82/2 vs SCotland in Dubai in 2021

82/1 vs Bangladesh in Hyderabad in 2024

78/2 vs South Africa in Johannesburg in 2018

Abhishek continued the carnage as India reached the 100-run mark in 6.3 overs, their quickest century in the T20I format. India went past their previous record of scoring a hundred in 7.1 overs vs Bangladesh in Hyderabad in October last year. Meanwhile, the southpaw slammed his personal ton in only 37 balls.

Earlier, England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to bowl in the match. England made one change in the playing XI, with Saqib Mahmood making way for Mark Wood. For India, Arshdeep Singh was replaced with seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami. The series is already in India’s firm grip with a 3-1 lead, making the final T20I a dead rubber.

England captain Jos Buttler said after winning the toss, “We played some good cricket in patches. We should have executed it better though. Need to grab the special moments in the game. There’s a good vibe in the team, it’s a good venue and it’s a great crowd. It’s a good wicket, Mark Wood comes back in. Both teams are high-octane (in terms of batting).”

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said during the time of the toss, “We wanted to bat first, looks a good wicket. I am hoping there won’t be much dew. It’s going to be a full-packed stadium tonight. We want the boys taking that responsibility, that’s what we demand and that’s what they are doing. You will fail sometimes, especially when you play that high-risk, high-reward game. Shami comes back in for Arshdeep Singh.”

(With ANI Inputs)

Sanju Samson’s technical weaknesses against express pace along with Rinku Singh’s dip in form and fitness issues will be a concern for India when they take on a resurgent England in the fourth T20 International on Friday. Having fluffed their chances in the third T20I in Rajkot, the penultimate game of the five-match series gives the hosts another opportunity to seal the series going into the final game in Mumbai on February 2. Suryakumar Yadav’s men won the first two games in Kolkata and Chennai.

Samson, the maverick keeper-batter from Kerala, whose sympathetic and loyal fan base never fails to remind everyone of the limited chances he has got, started the T20I season with three hundreds against Bangladesh and South Africa prior to the ongoing series.

In the current rubber, he has had scores of 26, 5 and 3 and it is not these numbers that are concerning. In T20 cricket, if one factors in risk, there would always be lot of less profitable days at the office considering the kind of strokes batters play these days.

But in case of Samson, what is of concern is his palpable discomfort against anything bowled above 145 clicks.

Against Bangladesh at home, he faced Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Shakib while in South Africa Andile Simelane and Lutho Sipamla were among the bowlers.

These are not exactly intimidating fast bowlers and he rightfully took them to the cleaners. These are bowlers who fire in between 130 to 140 clicks and can be hit through the line on flat decks.

However, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are different beasts, bowling between 145 kmph to 155 kmph and that pace is creating problems for Samson.

During all three games, the Kerala batter couldn’t even get his bat down as deliveries would thud into Phil Salt’s gloves.

The hard lengths and steep bounce are creating a problem and even on batting shirt-fronts, it is not easy to hit through the line if one doesn’t have proper technique or doesn’t regularly face this quality of fast bowling.

Samson is one of head coach Gautam Gambhir’s favourites and it is expected that he would be persisted with going into next year’s T20 World Cup.

But his technical issues need to be sorted out at the earliest by Gambhir, new batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and the himself.

Dhruv Jurel looks a misfit

Rinku Singh’s back spasms forced the team management to try Dhruv Jurel in the No.7 position but he has looked out of place in this particular format unlike Test cricket.

Rinku was rested for the first two games but assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate declared the batter fit for Friday’s contest in the pre-match press conference.

But even Rinku, after a glorious start to his T20I career, has gone off the rails.

When Gambhir became Kolkata Knikght Riders mentor, Rinku got to play a total of 70 odd balls in the 2024 IPL. As a result, he couldn’t make it to the T20 World Cup as Shivam Dube, with his bowling ability, was considered better in the Americas.

The Indian middle order hasn’t exactly played England spinner Adil Rashid well so far and with Dube back in the mix, will Gambhir take a chance with him? Looks unlikely as given the pace of England speedsters even the burly Mumbaikar would be ill at ease.

The third option is Ramandeep Singh, who also looks exciting as a finisher and is a better seamer than Dube. But even he is untested against quality pace attack.

Will Arshdeep be back in order to seal the series

Mohammed Shami needs a lot of bowling in match situations and the Rajkot game was a decent restart to his international career without being spectacular.

While a bilateral series win counts for little, Gambhir wouldn’t like the ignominy of being the first coach under whom India lost a home T20I series against England.

Hence, it would be interesting if Arshdeep Singh, India’s best T20I bowler in absence of Jasprit Bumrah is in line to come back and give some breakthroughs in the Powerplay overs.

Teams (from): India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana.

England: Jos Buttler (captain), Phil Salt (wk), Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith (wk), Adil Rashid, Brydon Carse, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Jacob Bethell, Saqib Mahmood.

Match Starts at 7 pm IST.

India vs England LIVE Streaming, 3rd T20I: When And Where To Watch© BCCI

Tilak Varma was player of the match for India in 2nd T20I© BCCI/Sportzpics

Following his match-winning knock against England in the second T20I, Indian batter Tilak Varma revealed his strategy while batting with tailenders to chase the remaining 40 runs of the 166-run target and lauded spinner Ravi Bishnoi for his brief cameo of nine runs in five balls, which included two fours.

In one of the best knocks in a T20I run chase by an Indian batter in recent memory, Tilak batted well with tailenders to chase 40 runs out of the 166-run target with immense game awareness and tactical intelligence, helping India secure a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. From 126/7, India sailed to a win with Arshdeep Singh (4) and Ravi (9*) each contributing a partnership of 20 runs.

Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live Show after the game, Tilak said of his strategy during the final few overs, “Actually, I was under a lot of pressure.

Arshdeep was saying, ‘I will hit it. I will hit it. I have to give a single.’ So, I thought, on this wicket, (Jofra) Archer can’t get you out. On this wicket, Adil Rashid will because his ball was moving a lot. I knew that Arshdeep would try to hit the spinner. I said, ‘No, bhai‘,” Tilak revealed.

“If Arshdeep wanted to play, he should play Archer. He said he would not play Archer, so I said, ‘Okay, I will play.’ I told him to be ready with his defence. ‘Whether you get a bouncer or not, you just have to stop him. If you see him behind, bend down.’ So, I do not know what he did. He said, ‘If I get a bouncer, I will hit him from above.’ He said a lot of things. But whatever happened, I am happy that he got a boundary off Archer.

“And the best thing to see was Ravi Bishnoi’s batting. He has done a very good job in nets. He and Varun Chakravarthy did a very good job in batting. I had a lot of faith in both of them that they could play. I told them, ‘If you want to hit, you have to hit in the gaps. If you get a single, there is no problem. If you want to bend down on the bouncer, you have to play like Test cricket.’ So, actually, Ravi Bishnoi played well. If you see, he hit a flick from the front. A lot of credit goes to him too. Those two fours were very important,” he added.

Coming to the match, India won the toss and elected to bat first. Barring skipper Jos Buttler (45 in 30 balls, with two fours and three sixes), the England top order once again was struggling against spin. A couple of useful cameos from Brydon Carse (31 in 17 balls, with a four and three sixes) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (22 in 12 balls, with a four and two sixes) took England to 165/9 in their 20 overs.

Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) caused England the most trouble.

In the run-chase, India suffered setbacks in the first half, as Abhishek Sharma (12), Sanju Samson (4), skipper Suryakumar Yadav (12), Dhruv Jurel (4) and Hardik Pandya (7) perished one by one. Tilak got assistance from Washington Sundar (26 in 19 balls, with three fours and a six), a 38-run partnership that let India cross the 100-run mark from a poor situation of 78/5. After Sundar and Axar (2) perished in quick succession with 40 runs left, Tilak had partnerships with Arshdeep Singh (4) and Ravi Bishnoi (9*) that helped India secure a win with two wickets and four balls left.

Carse’s brilliant spell of 3/29 and a strong spell of 1/14 by spinner Adil Rashid went in vain as India took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has recalled ex-India captain Mohammad Azharuddin‘s words praising Tilak Varma, following the youngster’s heroics in the second T20I against England on Saturday. Tilak is thriving in his new role as India’s designated no. 3 in T20I. On Saturday, he hit a brilliant 55-ball 72 not out, laced with four boundaries and five sixes, to help India chase down 166 with two wickets and four balls to spare. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit recalled how Azharuddin spoke highly about Tilak, who had not made his India debut back then.

“When I interviewed Mohammad Azharuddin, he took the name of Tilak Varma when he was nothing, playing only in IPL. He said, ‘There is Tilak Varma, watch him [play]’ and now it’s come true,” Basit said on his YouTube channel.

Sharing his views on Tilak’s performances at no. 3, Basit credit India head coach Gautam Gambhir for using the left-right combination wisely.

“Duniya ek numbari to Tilak Varma teen nambari (If the World No.1, then Tilak Varma is No. 3.) You’ll ask what did I say? It’s because he is performing back-to-back since he’s come at No. 3. You saw [in the match], that Gautam used the left-right combination [well]. (Varma) Played well, what a match,” he added.

Since being promoted to no. 3 during the tour of South Africa last year, Tilak smashed two consecutive centuries against the Proteas.

After his knock against England in Chennai, Tilak admitted that India captain Suryakumar Yadav giving him the number three position has been the turning point of his batting career in the shortest format.

His stats as a number three batter now read as 419 runs in 11 innings with an average of 69.83 and strike-rate of 171.02.

“When Surya bhai gave me that No.3 position in South Africa, it was a turning point for me. So, I would like to congratulate and thank Surya bhai for that. As for this series, there is a left-right combination going on, so wherever I am needed, I am there. The flexibility is good, and I am adapting well to it. I am always ready,” said Tilak.

Tilak Varma once again proved his mettle under pressure, guiding his team to a thrilling victory with a match-winning knock of 72 off 55 balls in Chennai. Chasing a target of 166, Tilak showcased maturity, anchoring the innings and ensuring his side crossed the finish line against England in the second T20I. Reflecting on his performance, Tilak credited his approach to the message from his coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the dressing room. Tilak revealed that the words of encouragement from Gambhir during a drinks break reinforced his focus.

“Gautam sir told me in the last innings that when you need 10 runs in an over, you can do that too. When you need 7-8 runs, your role is very crucial. So, you need to stay till the end. No matter how you play, let the non-striker score. Your job is to get one or two boundaries in an over and take singles. If you stay till the end, we win the game,” Tilak said on Star Sports’ Amul Cricket Live show.

“He told me this in the last match as well. And even today, during the drinks break, he told me, no matter what happens, you need to play till the end. So, I had it in my mind that I would play till the end. And I believed that I would win the match,” he added.

The young batter’s calculated innings was a masterclass in composure and adaptability. Tilak ensured that he kept the scoreboard ticking with singles and doubles while finding crucial boundaries at key moments. His ability to handle pressure and execute the team’s strategy reflects his growing stature as a dependable finisher.

With this knock, Tilak Varma not only secured a memorable victory for his side but also reinforced his position as one of the brightest prospects in Indian cricket.

As for the match, India won the toss and elected to bat first. Barring skipper Jos Buttler (45 off 30 balls, with two fours and three sixes), the England top order once again struggled against spin. A couple of useful cameos from Brydon Carse (31 off 17 balls, with a four and three sixes) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (22 off 12 balls, with a four and two sixes) took England to 165/9 in their 20 overs.

Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) caused England the most trouble.

Tilak Varma and Virat Kohli in action© BCCI

Following his match-winning knock during the second T20I against England, India batter Tilak Varma heaped praise on skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, pointing out how well he bonds with every player and gives them so much time. The Suryakumar-led India continued its winning ways in T20Is, beating England by two wickets in a thriller at Chepauk Stadium on Saturday, securing a 2-0 series lead in the five-match affair by chasing down 166 runs.

Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live show, Tilak said, “I can only say one thing, not just for me. We both play together in the IPL (Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians) as well. But even for any new player, he maintains the bond so well with every player. On the field, off the field too. He gives so much time to all the players. It feels great when someone like Suryakumar Yadav, the captain of India, is with us. Even if any new kid joins the team, it doesn’t feel like it with him.”

“He bonds so well with everyone. All that makes a lot of difference on the field. Especially when you see the batting and in the field, he is very friendly with everyone. You can understand where to go, in the field, and you have to understand a few things. All that becomes easy because he spends so much time with us. So, actually, not just for me but for the rest of the team, it’s very beneficial,” he added.

Tilak lauded the skipper for changing his career by giving him the number three spot to bat.

“As for this series, there is a left-right combination going on, so wherever I am needed, I am there. The flexibility is good, and I am adapting well to it. I am always ready,” he concluded.

As for the match, India won the toss and elected to bat first. Barring skipper Jos Buttler (45 off 30 balls, with two fours and three sixes), the England top order once again struggled against spin. A couple of useful cameos from Brydon Carse (31 off 17 balls, with a four and three sixes) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (22 off 12 balls, with a four and two sixes) took England to 165/9 in their 20 overs.

Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) caused England the most trouble.

In the run chase, India suffered setbacks in the first half, as Abhishek Sharma (12), Sanju Samson (4), skipper Suryakumar Yadav (12), Dhruv Jurel (4), and Hardik Pandya (7) perished one by one. Tilak got assistance from Washington Sundar (26 off 19 balls, with three fours and a six), in a 38-run partnership that helped India cross the 100-run mark from a poor situation of 78/5. After Sundar and Axar (2) perished in quick succession, with 40 runs left, Tilak had partnerships with Arshdeep Singh (4) and Ravi Bishnoi (9*) that helped India secure a win with two wickets and four balls to spare.

Carse’s brilliant spell of 3/29 and a strong spell of 1/14 by spinner Adil Rashid went in vain as India took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.