SOUTHAMPTON, July 8: A smashing half-century from all-rounder Hardik Pandya (51 off 33 balls) backed up by his superb bowling efforts (4/33 in 4 overs) gave India a huge 50-run win against the Jos Buttler-led England in the opening T20 International – a day-night game – at The Rose Bowl here late on Thursday.
India have now won 14 of the last 17 T20Is since the tournament, with a no result against South Africa in Bengaluru meaning the side has lost just twice in the same stretch.
There were cameos from Rohit Sharma (24 off 14), Deepak Hooda (33 off 17) and Suryakumar Yadav (39 off 19) in India’s innings, with Chris Jordan’s 2/23 going a long way to keeping the score below 200.
Buttler endured a rocky start to life as England’s limited-overs captain after falling for a golden duck in his side’s humbling 50-run loss to India in the first of three Twenty20s.
Tasked with continuing England’s white-ball success following Eoin Morgan’s international retirement, Buttler began by having his leg stump knocked back at the outset of the reply to India’s 198/8.
England lurched to 33/4 before eventually subsiding to a sorry 148 all out from 19.3 overs. Yuzvendra Chahal continues to look imposing. Claiming Harry Brook (28 off 23) and Moeen Ali (36 off 20), the leg-spinner curtailed any chance of an English fight back.
The total was always likely to challenge England, without Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow due to their Test commitments, and they received a hammer blow as Buttler was taken out in the first over. (Agencies)
