Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
19 | 10 Runs | ENG: 191/6 | RR: 10.05

  • Jofra Archer10 (7b)
  • Jacob Bethell76 (46b)
  • Arshdeep Singh4-0-40-3
  • Harshit Rana3-0-30-1

6.30pm What a great contest to get this series underway, proper: England are up 1-0 and both teams will now have a two-day break before they meet for the third T20I, at Nottingham on July 7. Till then, from me and Ekanth and our scorers, I wish all England fans a happy World Cup knockout day, and the rest of our fans a more neutral, equally propulsive time watching cricket and other sports. We'll see you soon! For now, good day and goodbye.

Time for the post-match presentation. Jacob Bethell, predictably, is Player of the Match for his rollicking knock in the chase! "It worked out well in the end. Just going in to bat, two down, Brooky set the momentum, made it easy for me... Everyone just kept chipping in. In those kinds of chases, you don't go rapid the whole time. Two big overs and the game swings. [On 17th vs Bishnoi] If I'm honest, I would have targetted the other end, my leg side with the wind, but you know, free hits, bowler's down, and you take it on. The thing with playing on different dimensions is one side might be easier to hit sixes, but you can also score runs hitting it into the bigger gaps. We were good with that as a team. I've really enjoyed that semi-final, they're a high skill attack. I've played them on two good pitches."

Now time for a chat with Shreyas Iyer: "I know where it all went away, but I don't want to pinpoint any particular player. After 15th game, momentum went away... [On Bishnoi] I think one no ball, I think he'll come back stronger. Then the game got away in the 17th over... he'll have to learn. It was a phenomenal score, on this track, Tilak's phenomenal 20 in the final over. Credit where due: watching Bethell, he definitely took on the bowlers. I think Sam Curran analysed the dimensions of the ground early on, did not give room to our left-handers. The batters are strong on leg side, he was not letting them play there. [Sooryavanshi debut] I think he's got that unflinching attitude... It's just sensational to watch. I wasn't anticipating him to be nervous, sensational cricket last couple of months and years. Definitely stepped up to the occasion, pleasing to the eye."

Finally, Harry Brook speaks: "Extremely pleased. It's one of the things we spoke about: try to get off the ropes and stop the ropes, we had 11, they had 5. With the wind and dimensions of the ground, we knew we could chase it. We were happy where we were after the powerplay. The way Bethell played was phenomenal. [Curran] He valued the winds and dimensions as well as he could. [On his knock] I think you've got to try and maximise the powerplay as well as you can. All our batters have shown innovation; can hit all around the ground. [On Bethell] He's an awesome talent out there, rallies the troops well in the field. He's so mature for his age. He's got a long career ahead of him."

6pm Those Bishnoi backfoot no-balls - three of them, to be precise - were pounced on by Bethell. India looked favourites to win this, especially after Axar's unhittable spell through the middle overs. But another spinner, the quicker Bishnoi, let the game slip through his fingers. He's a terrific bowler in the right headspace so you hope he recovers from this. But the truth is today, Bethell was incredibly clinical for a batter his age. And don't forget England captain Harry Brook, whose rapid-fire 39 in the powerplay set up the early overs for England. The overcast skies stay, though it luckily did not rain today. And we had a good contest to whet our appetite instead.

18.6
2
Arshdeep Singh to Archer, 2 runs, Speared into the pads and flicked down to long leg. They hustle back for a second run and Bethell is ecstatic. He punches his bat for applause, but the Manchester crowd is doing the applauding for him. An impeccable 76 off 46, and he's sealed an important four-wicket win for England against the world champions here. England are now 1-0, with three games left to play in this series

Labubu: "Kohliesque innings from bethel! "

18.5
1
Arshdeep Singh to Bethell, 1 run, Arshdeep goes short, Bethell pulls this fine and down to deep fine leg! Now just two needed for a well-earned win, and more importantly, Bethell's still out there...

Micah : "Seems like Archer is protecting Bethell from the strike" - Very droll, Micah

18.4
1
Arshdeep Singh to Archer, 1 run, Low full toss outside off, driven out to extra cover

Raj: "India has an abundance of world-beating players, but I think recently they seem to be getting their tactics and sometimes selections completely wrong. " - They did, err, just win the World Cup...

18.3
2
Arshdeep Singh to Archer, 2 runs, Speared into the blockhole outside off, Archer flicks it out to deep square and calls for a second. Great running gets him back to the striker's end
18.2
4
Arshdeep Singh to Archer, FOUR, Archer has boshed this down to deep midwicket; England is doing this in a hurry now! Was short but innocuous. Archer swats this from right in front of his eyes, down to the vacant boundary on the on-side

Bj: "Bishnoi had a bad day. He is a good T20 bowler "

Harshvardhan: "Only if Bishnoi had given 9 in his last over, IND would have 30 run to defend in last 2 and could have been an interesting game!" - If my grandma had wheels etc, I'm afraid...

18.1
0
Arshdeep Singh to Archer, no run, On a length, grips in the pitch outside off and angles back in. Bunted back to the bowler

Arshdeep Singh back for his final over here.

sash: "why didn't Dawson come out b4 archer" - And here I was being accused of ragebait for suggesting the same!

END OF OVER:
18 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 181/6 (10 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 10.05, RRR: 5.00)

  • Jofra Archer1 (2b)
  • Jacob Bethell75 (45b)
  • Harshit Rana3-0-30-1
  • Ravi Bishnoi4-0-60-0

Tony: "No heroics required. just keep.the ball on the ground." - Archer might not have got the brief, mate! He's swinging for the hills; and why not.

17.6
1
Harshit Rana to Archer, 1 run, Full-ish and slower 'un, well outside off. Archer thrashes this down the ground, or tries to anyway. Loses his shape and chops this one into the pitch, then dribbles behind him. Lucky to be still out there
17.6
1w
Harshit Rana to Archer, 1 wide, Speared in short and this time it travels right over Archer's head. Time to reload, another precious run given away from Rana

Sushant: "Watching from Toronto. Canada vs Morocco at FIFA World Cup about to begin. Huge challenge against heavyweight Morocco. Following India vs England on Cricinfo at the same time. Nervous. Excited. Let's go Canada! come on India!! "

17.5
0
Harshit Rana to Archer, no run, Archer looks for a hoick over the keeper first up and misses. Too quick and travels past him, short ball past his helmet

Bethell's semi-final ton earlier this year, against India, was an all-timer. This match doesn't hold up in comparison, in terms of importance, but Bethell's taking England over the line this time around. He's such an unabashed talent with bat in hand.

17.4
W
Harshit Rana to Curran, OUT, Curran has looked for a pick-up flick here, and he's bashed it right to Sooryavanshi down at deep midwicket! The boy wonder's first catch in an India cap, too. Was full on the pads, but Sooryavanshi's jump at the ropes prevented a six here

SM Curran c Sooryavanshi b Harshit Rana 7 (14m 5b 1x4 0x6) SR: 140

17.3
1
Harshit Rana to Bethell, 1 run, Back of a length outside off, and glided down to backward point once more
17.2
6
Harshit Rana to Bethell, SIX, Reverse ramp from Bethell to compound England's elation and India's misery! Was a length ball outside off, Harshit Rana walks back befuddled, wondering what he's done wrong here. The delivery was just lofted out to deep backward point

Raj: "I think Bishnoi is in the team 2 years too late, he's quite the bowler he was 2 years ago, the over arching problem of this match is that all of India's bowlers, especially the spinners are far too costly when it comes to runs." - He was good in the IPL, until he wasn't, and RR just straight up dropped him

17.1
1
Harshit Rana to Curran, 1 run, Innocuous slower 'un outside off, angling in, glided down to backward point and a single will nicely do for England here

India heading for their third L in four games, with one washout, here... Iyer's reign has not been off to a solid start here, though he's done his best with bat in hand these past two T20Is! It's a tough game out here

Harshit back, he's given 20 off his two so far.

END OF OVER:
17 | 29 Runs | ENG: 171/5 (20 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 10.05, RRR: 6.66)

  • Jacob Bethell68 (43b)
  • Sam Curran6 (3b)
  • Ravi Bishnoi4-0-60-0
  • Varun Chakravarthy4-0-37-1
16.6
2
Ravi Bishnoi to Bethell, 2 runs, Now a long hop, and Bethell goes on the back foot and pulls it across the line, down to deep square leg. Arshdeep dives to save the boundary but he's writhing at the boundary. He might have done his left knee in here, going for the dive... 29 off the over and is this the last we see of Bishnoi in this series?
16.5
6
Ravi Bishnoi to Bethell, SIX, Make it 27 off this over. Bethell has surely sealed this game for England. And there's still one ball left. Was in the slot on the pads. Bethell gets down on one knee and sends it over cow corner
16.4
4
Ravi Bishnoi to Bethell, FOUR, Bethell has turned the tide for England in this over. Deeeeep into the crease, on the back foot, and thumps a drive out to deep extra cover. Wonderful skill to even get in that position

Bishnoi clearly bowling sub-optimally because of the backfoot no-ball being at the back of his mind, methinks

16.3
2
Ravi Bishnoi to Bethell, 2 runs, Outside leg and minimal spin, googly, Bethell swats this down to fine leg and takes off for two

Vikash: "Abhijato seems to have deliberately mentioned Archer before Dawson. Good rage baiting mate." - I do it for the love of the game

Sachit: "For a bowler to make the same mistake thrice in one game is unacceptable"

16.2
6
Ravi Bishnoi to Bethell, SIX, And so it is: a nothing ball floated up outside off, Bethell swats it over long on once more. Brings up a 39-ball fifty to keep England alive in this contest
16.2
1nb
Ravi Bishnoi to Bethell, 1 no ball, That's a great comeback! Much quicker, and spins away from outside leg to past the off stump. Past Bethell's cut. And guess what, Bishnoi has bowled a third backfoot no-ball here. Bishnoi might get into some mental juju here as a result of this
16.1
6
Ravi Bishnoi to Bethell, SIX, Now Bethell has latched onto this one, clatters it over cow corner! Was an innocuous length ball sliding down leg. He shuffles into the leg side and cross-bats this, will Bethell look to go big in this one?

Vijay: "I dread the win probability. When it is so nicely in India's favour, a couple of boundaries, brings it down by a reasonably big margin."

Ibrahim Raza: "2 lefty vs Ravi Bishnoi will be the deciding Factor of the match"

16.1
2nb
Ravi Bishnoi to Curran, (no ball) 1 run, He has to crouch to cut this one out to backward point! Was full-ish well outside off, but kept quite low. And it's a second backfoot no-ball for the day. Bishnoi's not had a great time here...

ABHISHEK: "Bethell sure does take matches deep against India"

Himanshu: "He's the boy who smacks, not the boy who also bowls :)"

rohit: "some of the comments on cricinfo are so funny I love reading through the commentary, there should be an emoji button to react to these comments"

England 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0JC ButtlerPD Salt
2nd1JC ButtlerHC Brook
3rd50HC BrookJG Bethell
4th67T BantonJG Bethell
5th15WG JacksJG Bethell
6th46SM CurranJG Bethell
7th12JC ArcherJG Bethell