India secured a thrilling two-wicket victory over England in the second T20I of the five-match series at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. Tilak Varma played an outstanding knock, finishing unbeaten on 72 off 55 balls, and guided India home with a four on the second ball of the last over.
The chase, set at 166 runs, was a nail-biter as India lost wickets at regular intervals. Despite a valiant half-century from Varma, India needed six runs from the final over with only two wickets left.
England’s pacers, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, made early breakthroughs, dismissing Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson within the first three overs.
Varma, however, remained composed and provided the stability India needed. He formed a crucial partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, but wickets kept falling at the other end, with Brydon Carse taking two key wickets.
With India needing 13 from the last two overs, it was all down to Varma, who hit some critical boundaries, including the game-winning four, to finish the match with a flourish.
Earlier, England had been restricted to a modest total of 165/9. The Indian bowling attack was clinical, with six out of seven bowlers picking up wickets.
Arshdeep Singh and Washington Sundar took crucial wickets in the powerplay, while Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Harry Brook for the second consecutive match, continuing his strong performance.
England's innings started shakily, with Arshdeep dismissing Phil Salt for just 4 in the first over. Ben Duckett followed soon after, contributing only 3 runs before falling to Washington Sundar. Captain Jos Buttler fought back with a counter-attacking 45 off 30 balls, but England kept losing wickets.
Liam Livingstone, who was expected to play a big role, could only manage 13 runs before being dismissed by Axar Patel.
As the innings progressed, England's hopes were dashed as India’s spinners, led by Axar Patel and Chakravarthy, continued to keep them in check. Although Brydon Carse’s quick 31 off 17 balls provided some late fireworks, it was not enough as England ended with 165/9.
India's bowlers were exceptional across the board, with Axar Patel and Chakravarthy leading the charge with two wickets each. Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, Sundar, and Abhishek Sharma each contributed with one wicket, showcasing a well-rounded performance.
The thrilling win in Chennai gives India a 2-0 lead in the series. Tilak Varma’s composed knock and the clinical bowling display were the key highlights, as India looks to maintain their momentum in the ongoing series.
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