Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal scripted a dramatic collapse with sensational figures of six for 25 to help India crush England by 75 runs and win the three-match T20 International series 2-1, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.
Chahal became the first Indian bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in T20 Internationals and only the second bowler to achieve the feat, with Sri Lankan Ajantha Mendis doing it twice.
In a stunning collapse, England lost eight wickets for eight runs and were bowled out for a paltry 127 in reply to India’s 202 for six, as the hosts emerged winners across all three formats.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina had smashed aggressive half centuries to propel India to a massive score in the series-deciding match.
Raina struck 63 off 45 balls, hitting two fours and five sixes while Dhoni record his first half-century in T20 Internationals as he slammed a quickfire 56 of 36 balls with the help of five boundaries and two sixes as the duo entertained the full-house crowd at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium with their batting pyrotechnics.
England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss and chose to bowl first as the visitors looked to bounce back from their disappointing finish in Nagpur.
For India, Rishabh Pant, the highly-rated 19-year-old batsman, made his debut, coming into the team in place of Manish Pandey.
India suffered an early blow as they lost captain Virat Kohli for two in the second over, run out by bowler Chris Jordan as he looked to steal a quick single but was sent back by non-striker KL Rahul.
Rahul made 22 from 18 balls as he put on 61 runs for the second wicket with Raina to rally India after the early wicket, before he was bowled by Ben Stokes.
Raina was a treat to watch as he took the attack to the England bowlers and released the pressure after a slow start. The left-hander opened up with an inside-out shot over cover point boundary for a maximum off the bowling of Tymal Mills and a few overs later he slammed Jordan for a couple of sixes in an over.
Raina (47) was dropped by Adil Rashid off his own bowling as he could not hold on to a tough chance on his follow through before he completed his fifty in the same over, from 39 balls.
Raina then launched Moeen Ali for a straight six back over his head before he was out in the 14th over caught in the covers off Liam Plunkett.
Dhoni joined the party as he cut loose after getting his eye in. After putting up 55 runs partnership with Raina for the third wicket, Dhoni stitched another 57 runs with Yuvraj Singh, who played an entertaining innings of 27 runs from just 10 balls, including three sixes in the 18th over bowled by Jordan.
In reply, England looked in the hunt as they reached 118 for 2 in the 14th over before they lost their way completely.
Jason Roy stroked 32 from 23 balls, while Joe Root made 42 from 27 balls and Eoin Morgan hit a quickfire 40 from 21 balls but none of the other batsmen could score in double digits. Infact, five England batsmen fell for ducks as Chahal ran through the England batting line-up.
He started with a wicket in his first over, when he got Sam Billings caught by Raina off an inside edge, before he returned late in the innings to pick up five wickets in the space of two overs.
The wicket of Morgan proved to be the turning point as he looked to slog sweep but was caught by debutant Rishabh Pant at deep midwicket and Root was trapped leg before wicket off the very next delivery, in the 14th over.
Veteran Amit Mishra also bowled a good spell of one for 23 in four overs and he had the dangerous Jason Roy caught off a top edge as he tried to play the slog sweep. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah also had a good day with the ball, taking three for 14 in 2.3 overs.
Chahal picked up three wickets in his final over, that of Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Chris Jordan before Bumrah finished off the innings in style with a couple of wickets, in the 17th over.
Source: Rediff