Leggie Chahal's 6-25 helps India beat England in T20I series; visitors return home empty-handed
Teammates applaud leggie Yuzvendra Chahal (third from left) after his match-winning 6-25 vs England in the third T2OI at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. Pic/AP
Bangalore: T20 veterans Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh turned on the magic at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here last night to set up India's eventual 75-run win in what was a virtual final. Tied 1-1 at the start of the third and final game, the hosts clinched the series in great style, in the process ensuring that the English team went back without a triumph to show, whatever the format.
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For a while during their chase, England made a fight of it, Joe Root and skipper Eoin Morgan raising 64 from 43 balls for the third wicket. But twin strikes by leggie Yuzvendra Chahal in the 14th over when he got rid of both off successive balls, got the Indians back on track even as England found themselves derailed, the last eight wickets falling for a mere 8 runs from 18 deliveries. Chahal, who opened the bowling with Ashish Nehra, had got the first breakthrough too when he got rid of opener Sam Billings. He eventually finished with incredible figures of 6-0-25-6, his second spell reading an unbelievable 2-0-6-5 as England collapsed for 127.
Earlier, albeit this venue has always been known to produce high-scoring affairs, the Indians' final tally of 202 was above par, more so as the pitch was a little two-paced while also affording some turn.
To boot, Virat Kohli, after losing a third straight toss and being out into bat, ran himself out comically in just the
second over.
What young man's game seemed to be the credo thereafter, more so after the loss of young KL Rahul, who contributed a 18-ball 22, which included a six over the media box roof off Moeen Ali, otherwise England's main bowler in the series.
However, Raina (63, 45b, 2x4, 5x6) was the man who started it all. Beginning with a six over point off left-arm seamer Tymal Mills, Raina was his old CSK self, hammering the ball to all parts of the park.
The capacity crowd at the stadium didn't take long to get over the loss of Kohli, more so as Dhoni, sensing he just couldn't afford to start slow as is his wont, too took off. The former Indian skipper's brutal power hitting was in full display as he belted a 36-ball 56 (5x4, 2x6).
The icing on the cake was provided by southpaw Yuvraj. The stylish left-hander took three sixes off a Chris Jordan over, the 18th over of the innings, his 10-ball 27 turning what looked to be a 180 total into a match and series-winning 202.
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