England delivered a crushing blow to India in the third T20I at Trent Bridge, bowling them out for just 76 runs, marking India's largest defeat by runs in men's T20 internationals. The 125-run victory not only handed England a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series but also left India facing the prospect of a series defeat unless they win both remaining matches.
After the first match was washed out, India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to field. His decision backfired spectacularly as England posted a formidable total of 201 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs . Phil Salt was the standout performer, scoring 70 runs off 44 balls, while Sam Curran contributed an unbeaten 41 runs. Jos Buttler and Harry Brook chipped in with 36 and 16 runs,respectively .
England's innings began cautiously,with Indian bowler Arshdeep Singh starting with maiden over. However,Buttler soon ignited the innings, and Salt found his rhythm after a slow start. He reached his half-century in the 14th over, showcasing his ability to accelerate against both spin and pace. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, England managed to post a challenging score, with Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer also contributing to the run tally through run-outs .
In response,India’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure. The chase began with promise but quickly deteriorated. Abhishek Sharma hit a six off Tongue but fell shortly after for 10 runs. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi briefly rallied with 13 runs,including two sixes, before succumbing to a bouncer from Archer. The Indian batting order collapsed dramatically, losing five wickets for just 52 runs within the powerplay, a record low for the team in T20 internationals.
As wickets tumbled, Iyer managed only 5 runs, while Axar Patel, promoted up the order,scored 10 runs before edging to Buttler. innings fell apart, with Tilak Varma stumped for 3 and Shivam Dube dismissed for just 2 runs. The final wicket fell when Varun Chakravarthy was bowled by Adil Rashid,leaving India all out in a mere 11.4 overs.
England's bowlers were relentless, with Tongue finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 28 and Archer claiming 3 for 29, earning him the Player of the Match award . The match concluded with India failing to reach even 12 overs, a stark contrast to their usual performance .
This defeat set several unwanted records for India. The 125-run margin surpassed their previous largest T20I loss, an 80-run defeat against New Zealand in 2019. Additionally, their total of 76 runs is now their second-lowest all-out score in T20 internationals,just above the 74 runs scored against Australia in 2008. The rapid collapse also marked the quickest all-out innings for India in T20s, eclipsing their previous record of 17.2 overs.
In the aftermath, Iyer described the performance as “atrocious,” emphasizing the team's failure to adapt to the pitch conditions. He lamented the loss of too many wickets during the powerplay while chasing a target of 202 runs. On the other hand, Brook praised England's adaptability,noting how they recognized the challenging surface and executed their bowling plans effectively .
With the fourth T20I looming, India faces a must-win situation to keep their hopes alive in the series. England,buoyed by their dominant performance,will look to maintain their momentum and secure the series victory.
