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Tilak Varma’s Heroics Secure India a Thrilling Victory Over England in Second T20I
India Clinches Series with 2-0 Lead in Chennai Thriller
Tilak Varma Guides India to Victory in a Nail-Biting Chase
India sealed a thrilling two-wicket victory against England in the second T20I at Chennai, thanks to a masterclass from Tilak Varma, who played a crucial knock of 72* under pressure. The hosts, after a shaky start, managed to chase down England’s 165/9 with four balls to spare, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
England’s Batting Struggles Continue Despite Buttler’s Effort
Early Wickets Dent England’s Start
After losing the toss and being put into bat, England once again suffered an early setback. Phil Salt fell in the first over to Arshdeep Singh, repeating his failure from the previous match. However, England captain Jos Buttler counter-attacked, smashing Arshdeep for multiple boundaries to set the tone for his side.
Despite his aggression, England lost wickets at regular intervals. Ben Duckett was dismissed cheaply by Washington Sundar, who replaced the injured Nitish Reddy in India’s lineup. Harry Brook started brightly with a quickfire 12 off 4 balls but fell to Varun Chakravarthy’s deceptive googly, mirroring his mistake from the first T20I in Kolkata.
Buttler’s Departure Marks a Turning Point
Buttler continued to be England’s anchor, but his departure at the halfway stage proved to be a turning point. The English skipper mistimed a pull against Axar Patel and was caught near the deep boundary, leaving England in a precarious position.
England’s middle order, particularly Liam Livingstone, failed to make an impact. However, debutant Jamie Smith looked comfortable against the Indian spinners, racing to 22 off 11 balls before a mistimed shot saw him dismissed near long-off. Brydon Carse, another new face in the XI, played an impressive cameo, striking consecutive sixes off Chakravarthy. Unfortunately, a mix-up with Jofra Archer resulted in a crucial run-out, derailing England’s momentum.
India’s Chase: Early Promise, Middle-Order Collapse
England’s Pacers Strike Back
Chasing 166, India made an aggressive start with Abhishek Sharma smashing three quick boundaries off Archer. However, Mark Wood responded swiftly, trapping him lbw. Sanju Samson also fell to a short-pitched delivery from Archer, exposing India’s vulnerability against pace.
At 104/6, India’s chase looked in jeopardy, but Tilak Varma held his ground. He found an able partner in local boy Washington Sundar, who stabilized the innings and later took on Mark Wood, hammering a six and two fours in an over that yielded 18 runs.
Tilak Holds His Nerve in the Final Overs
Just as India seemed to be in control, England struck back with quick wickets. Carse dismissed Sundar, while Axar Patel fell attempting a slogsweep. With 20 runs needed off 18 balls and only two wickets in hand, the game was on a knife’s edge.
Ravi Bishnoi provided crucial support, hitting a timely boundary to relieve some pressure off Tilak. The young batter then finished the match in style, hammering Archer for back-to-back sixes before calmly sealing the win in the final over.
Key Performances and Match Summary
India 166/8 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 72, Brydon Carse 3/29)* defeated England 165/9 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 45, Axar Patel 2/32) by 2 wickets.
To stay updated on India’s T20I squad for the upcoming series, read more here. For detailed statistics and the full scorecard of these matches, check out the full scorecard on ESPN Cricinfo.
