India beat England by 36 runs to win the T20 series – as it happened | Sport

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6.08pm GMT
18:08

The leading wicket-taker in the series was Shardul Thakur, who sneaked past Jofra Archer at the death. One day, a cricket historian will look at the series averages and scratch her head, because she will find 37 of the 50 wickets to fall to bowlers being taken by the seamers, and only 13 by the spinners. Axar Patel, the scourge of England in the Tests, didn’t even take one.

6.04pm GMT
18:04

Not everyone is happy with Kohli. “This,” says Ram Sridhar, “is exactly why I rate Kane Williamson much higher than Virat Kohli for his on-field ethics, professionalism and empathy alongside his batting elegance. VK might be one of Top 2 batsmen with a phenomenal 50+ average across the formats, but like Johnson (veteran of sledging) – well, most of the Aussies are – and Anderson (again one of the best but used to sledge the tourists a lot), he distracts his opponents with his unwarranted antics. KW is an absolute gem.”

6.00pm GMT
18:00

Kohli says he’d like to continue opening, and will do so in the IPL. He loved the way his team played today: “I think it was a complete game from us.” Before the IPL, there’s an ODI series against England – and India, with two series wins in their pocket, will now be favourites for that too.

5.57pm GMT
17:57

Player of the Series is … Virat Kohli. Fair enough: he was easily the highest run-maker, with 231, and he was only out twice. He made 59 more than the next man, Buttler, at the same strike rate of 147. And all this after a run of poor form. He’s a phenomenon.

5.54pm GMT
17:54

Player of the Match is Bhuvi Kumar, and rightly so. This was a classic example of the way a match full of runs is decided not by the batsmen, but by one good spell of bowling. In fact one over, the 13th of the England innings. “Get Buttler!” was the instruction, and he did.

5.52pm GMT
17:52

The Gamechanger of the Match is Rohit Sharma, who didn’t so much change the game as shape it by making 64 off 34 balls.

5.51pm GMT
17:51

The Joot of the Match award goes to Malan and Buttler for their partnership of 130 off 12.3 overs. It seems a long time ago now, but it was excellent while it lasted. And Malan, back on form today, has become the fastest man to 1000 runs in T20 internationals.

5.46pm GMT
17:46

Talk of the devil: here’s Eoin Morgan. He feels it’s been an extremely productively series, though he would have liked more turn in the pitches. “India outplayed us in certain big moments in the game and thoroughly deserved to win,” he says. “[But] we played some really good cricket both today and in the whole series, so there’s a lot of positives for us to build on.” Asked to elaborate, he mentions “the PowerPlay bowling… especially Adil Rashid”.

Updated
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5.42pm GMT
17:42

India are now firm favourites for the T20 World Cup in October. They approached this series one way, tinkering, experimenting, trying new things. England went the other way, keeping an unchanged team, putting their faith in pace over spin, and spurning Moeen Ali, in a way that must have driven Joe Root mad.

Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan of India lift the trophy. Photograph: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images

Updated
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5.40pm GMT
17:40

“Thanks for the coverage! Great as always,” says Nick Butler. It’s a pleasure. “A loss is basically what England deserve for prioritising a personal grudge (Morgan’s against Hales) over picking the current highest-scoring T20 batsman in the world and proven performer at this level. And I don’t buy into the guff about Morgan having deserved the right to be like that – just because of a lucky ricochet off the bat in the World Cup final. Sort yourself out Morgan and drop the ego/attitude.”

I wouldn’t be quite as harsh (he’s a superb captain, not just a lucky general), but I agree that he doesn’t have the right. A player should only be banned through a proper process, which allows him (or her) to make their case and have a lawyer. Nobody should be ostracised on a captain’s whim, however excellent that captain is. It was wrong when it happened to Kevin Pietersen, and it’s still wrong now.

Updated
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5.34pm GMT
17:34

The toss was on England’s side, but the force was with India, along with home advantage and the edge supplied by the IPL, which gives their fringe players a priceless taste of pressure. Today they finally dropped KL Rahul, who is out of form, and so they got a flying start. Rohit was imperious, Kohli subdued but effective, Yadav audacious, Pandya brutal. Buttler and Malan kept England in it for 11 overs, but when Kumar surgically removed Buttler, England regressed about 15 years and simply wilted. They lost four wickets for 12 in 17 balls, and the game was up. The best thing they did today was a piece of fielding: Chris Jordan’s dash round the boundary to hand a catch to Jason Roy, who took it and roared with laughter.

Updated
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5.23pm GMT
17:23

India win by a country mile

20th over: England 188-8 (Curran 14, Rashid 0) Sam Curran joins Jordan in hitting one defiant six, a lovely square drive off Thakur. And he manages another off the last ball, swinging straight down the ground. He’s made his point – why did you demote me? – but India have won the match, and the series, in style. They went behind twice, equalised twice, and then galloped to victory with a huge score and a superb salvage act in the field when Malan and Buttler were threatening a heist. The better team won.

Virat Kohli of India celebrates victory. Photograph: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images

Updated
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5.20pm GMT
17:20

Wicket! Jordan c Yadav b Thakur 11 (England 174-8)

Chris Jordan manages one six, over long-off, but then tries for another and picks out the man at deep square.

5.17pm GMT
17:17

Wicket! Archer run out 0 (England 168-7)

19th over: England 168-7 (Jordan 4) Jofra, whose T20i batting career began so nonchalantly the other night, finds himself making the difficult second album.

England’s Jofra Archer is run out by India’s Rishabh Pant. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Updated
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5.14pm GMT
17:14

Wicket! Stokes c Pant b Natarajan 14 (England 165-6)

With England now needing a six off every ball, Stokes tries to carve something out against Natarajan’s length ball and succeeds only in getting a nick.

5.12pm GMT
17:12

18th over: England 163-5 (Stokes 12, Jordan 4) Kumar returns and bowls a few wides, but it doesn’t matter. He finishes with 4-0-15-2 and the knowledge that he made the difference.

“Just in from some gardening, so not keeping up,” says Martin Hamilton. “Puzzled by this statement from earlier: ‘Nobody succeeded for England, except Stokes with the ball and Jordan with that fabulous assist for Roy’s catch.’ Er Rashid?” Yes, fair point – he was very decent. But there’s 1-31 off four overs, which Rashid managed, and then there’s 2-9 off three, which is what Kumar had after he made the crucial incision.

5.06pm GMT
17:06

17th over: England 156-5 (Stokes 12, Jordan 1) Stokes won’t go down without a fight. Facing Natarajan’s left-arm seam, he drives arrow-straight for four, then spots a gap at long-off, make a bit of room and drives for four more. But even 12 off the over is not much use: England need 69 off the last three.

“Oh, well, never mind,” says John Starbuck. “India may well be unbeatable in their own backyard. But it’s been a pretty good series with some genuinely exciting games and we can look forward to a right tussle in the T20 World Cup.”

5.00pm GMT
17:00

16th over: England 144-5 (Stokes 1, Jordan 0) England promoted Morgan above Stokes, to no avail, and now they’ve sent in Jordan ahead of Sam Curran, for what that’s worth. I wonder whose decision it was – Buttler’s maybe. Anyway, it’s academic: India have taken complete control in the past five overs, grabbing four wickets and conceding only 27 when England needed twice that.

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4.56pm GMT
16:56

Wicket! Morgan c sub (Rahul) b Pandya 1 (England 142-5)

Kohli has gone off the field, knowing the series is won. His replacement, KL Rahul, has an easy catch at midwicket as Morgan hooks a bouncer and gets a top edge. England’s middle order has collapsed in a heap.

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4.54pm GMT
16:54

15th over: England 142-4 (Morgan 1, Stokes 0) So, two new batsmen in, and 83 needed off the last five overs. Not even Ben Stokes can salvage this one.

4.53pm GMT
16:53

Wicket!! Malan b Thakur 68 (England 142-4)

A swing, a miss, and the end of a fine innings that just ran out of steam in the last few overs. Malan, like Bairstow, knew they needed a big over, but just couldn’t make it happen.

Dawid Malan of England is bowled by Shardul Thakur. Photograph: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images

Updated
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4.49pm GMT
16:49

Wicket! Bairstow c Yadav b Thakur 7 (England 140-3)

Another one! Bairstow goes for a carve over point and hits it pretty well, but straight to SKY. Game over, unless Eoin Morgan can go bananas from ball one.

India’s Shardul Thakur celebrates the wicket of England’s Jonny Bairstow. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Updated
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4.47pm GMT
16:47

14th over: England 136-2 (Malan 67, Bairstow 3) Buttler’s demise came after 13 balls without a boundary – that’s all it takes to raise the pressure. And now, as Bairstow gets his eye in, Malan still can’t find a four, so they scrape only six off the over and suddenly the required rate is almost 15. England need 89 off 36 balls: in other words, they need a huge over now.

Updated
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4.40pm GMT
16:40

13th over: England 130-2 (Malan 65, Bairstow 0) Full marks to Kohli for going back to Kumar ahead of schedule. He beat Malan outside off with an outswinger, then beat Buttler before dismissing him. He’s bowled the perfect over, and shown that it’s not necessarily a batsman’s game. In fact, the flatter the pitch, the greater the difference one wicket can make. England need 95 off 42 balls, which should be too much, even for them.

Updated
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4.38pm GMT
16:38

Wicket! Buttler c Pandya b Kumar 52 (England 130-2)

Kohli summons Bhuvi Kumar, who makes the breakthrough! Buttler, after missing a reverse flick, mistimes a cut and gives a simple catch to Hardik Pandya at deep extra. Advantage India.

India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Jos Buttler with teammates. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

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4.32pm GMT
16:32

12th over: England 127-1 (Malan 64, Buttler 51) Kohli goes for his signature review, at the last second, in a rather desperate attempt to get rid of Buttler with an alleged caught behind, but there’s no bat on it. Buttler responds by carting a single to reach his fifty, off 30 balls. That may be the fastest performance ever from someone playing second fiddle. Are you one of the Chieftains in disguise?

“I hope you are well,” says Ruth Purdue. I am, thanks, touch wood. Hope you are too! “I remember Ed Smith talking about Malan while at his previous job on TMS. He was always explaining that Malan’s timing and technique were excellent and that he was a clean striker of the ball.” Interesting.

4.25pm GMT
16:25

11th over: England 120-1 (Malan 63, Buttler 48) Back comes Natarajan, and Malan licks his lips. A tuck off his legs takes him to an excellent fifty, made just when his team needed it, and so did he. He celebrates with a six over extra cover that is so good it could be a mirror image of Rohit. And then another four, down the ground. England are now five runs ahead of India, who were strangely subdued in their 11th over.

“If catches win matches,” says Colum Fordham, “then Chris Jordan’s astonishing effort in partnership with Jason Roy may be the miracle England needed to get out of the mire they currently find themselves in.

“Have to disagree with Roy in the Composite XI, though. Surely Rohit Sharma has to be in it in this form. And no Pant, no party.” Yes, Rohit gets in now – to be fair, the selectors (I, me and myself) were meeting before this game.

4.18pm GMT
16:18

10th over: England 104-1 (Malan 48, Buttler 47) The first ball of Chahar’s second over is fractionally short and pulled for six by Buttler. He follows up with a push for two, which brings up the hundred partnership, the first of this match. But at the halfway stage, India were ahead – with 110-1 – and WinViz has only increased England’s chances from 25 to 31pc.

Updated
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4.13pm GMT
16:13

9th over: England 91-1 (Malan 46, Buttler 37) Pandya is back, which is a bold move as Malan scores faster off him than off the other Indian bowlers. A bouncer is called wide, and then a fuller ball is eased past mid-off for four. Eoin Morgan’s faith in Malan has paid off here, but the required run-rate has crept up above 12. Two a ball: fine off the last three overs, but very tricky for more than half an innings.

4.07pm GMT
16:07

8th over: England 82-1 (Malan 39, Buttler 35) Kohli sends for his leg-spinner, Rahul Chahar. He beats Buttler in the flight and still goes for six as Buttler’s hands, so quick and strong, rescue his feet from embarrassment and send the ball sailing into the empty stand at long-on. By the end of the over, Buttler is hitting a six off the back foot, over extra cover. Outrageous. He has 35 off 20 balls, and surely holds the key to this chase.

Updated
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4.03pm GMT
16:03

7th over: England 67-1 (Malan 38, Buttler 24) Thakur stays on for a second over, a rare honour. Malan plays that easy cover drive of his again, timing it even better and picking up four as the sweeper can only divert it into the Toblerone. But the rest of the over brings only a single, which is a fine recovery from Thakur after his first over went for 14.

“San Francisco calling,” says Ian Jefferson. “You watch England play football, you know they’ll come up short. You watch England play T20, they’ll get there with seven balls to spare.”

3.57pm GMT
15:57

6th over: England 62-1 (Malan 33, Buttler 23) Kohli summons his latest recruit, Natarajan, who seems to be one of those sportsmen with only one name, like Pele or Fred. He’s a waspish left-armer, Sam Curran with extra height. Malan sees a full one and creams it over the covers for four, but otherwise Natarajan keeps it tight. That’s the end of the PowerPlay, with England making a good fist of it. At this stage, India were dawdling along at 60-0.

3.52pm GMT
15:52

5th over: England 55-1 (Malan 27, Buttler 22) Kohli makes another change, bringing on Shardul Thakur, who starts with a half-tracker. Buttler pulls it for six, his first of the evening. Malan plays a tickle for four, an upgrade on those leg byes. Buttler plays more of a cow shot, swinging from the crease, but his top edge lands safely in no-man’s-land at deep cover. He has 22 off only 12 balls, and Malan has his highest score of the series.

3.46pm GMT
15:46

4th over: England 41-1 (Malan 22, Buttler 13) Kohli turns to Washington Sundar, who has given Malan a headache or two. He takes a single and Buttler cashes in, taking a step down and playing a gorgeous straight drive for four. The he steps away and gets a force over extra cover, four more. When Sundar goes round the wicket, Buttler changes tack and dabs into the on side for a well-run two. England have reached ten an over: can they keep it up?

3.42pm GMT
15:42

3rd over: England 28-1 (Malan 21, Buttler 1) Buttler finally gets let in by the bouncer at the door. Wary of Kumar’s swing, he does play himself in – dot, dot, single, all from careful pushes into the ring. Meanwhile Malan continues on his merry way, with a majestic cover-drive, played from the crease. Even a missed flick brings four leg byes. Fora bunch of no-hopers, England are doing OK.

“If that’s a prelude to the World Cup T20,” says Guy Hornsby, “I think I’ll pass.” Shame! It’s a lot of fun in its way.

3.35pm GMT
15:35

2nd over: England 19-1 (Malan 17, Buttler 0) Hardik Pandya, who was batting about 15 minutes ago, is now opening the bowling. Malan, knowing he can’t afford to play himself in as he normally does, pulls consecutive balls for four, six, and four more. The only short ball he doesn’t take on turns out to be a wide. Jos Buttler hasn’t faced a ball yet. Game on??

3.31pm GMT
15:31

1st over: England 1-1 (Malan 1, Buttler 0) Dawid Malan, who owes England runs for once, flirts with disaster as his first ball raps him on the thigh pad, but it’s too high to be worth a review. A superb opening salvo from Kumar, swinging the ball both ways and reducing England’s chances from slim to barely visible at all.

“Your nephew [17th over] makes a good point,” says Damian Clarke. “I happen to think that people shouldn’t be allowed to walk their dogs near a cricket ground. I have taken more than one diving catch in the outfield where the initial heroic euphoria has been rapidly replaced by the horror of what is now liberally smeared on my shirt and trousers.”

3.27pm GMT
15:27

Wicket! Roy b Kumar 0 (England 0-1)

A swing, a miss, and a horror start to a daunting chase.

Jason Roy looks back at the stumps after being bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Photograph: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images

Updated
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3.16pm GMT
15:16

India pile up 224

20th over: India 224-2 (Kohli 80, Pandya 39) The dubious honour of bowling the last over falls to Jofra Archer. Kohli pulls him for four, then gets four more as Bairstow thinks he’s saved two on the cover boundary, only for the replay to find that he’s touched the Toblerone. Kohli finishes with 80, to go with his two 70s earlier in this series, but the even more striking stat is the partnership with Pandya: 81 off 40 balls. Nobody failed for India. Nobody succeeded for England, except Stokes with the ball and Jordan with that fabulous assist for Roy’s catch.

“Can’t wait to see what WinViz makes of England’s chances here,” says Brian Withington, with a pinch of salt. “ I wonder if its algorithm can handle imaginary numbers?” Ha. It’s giving England 25 per cent. I’d make it about a quarter of that. See you shortly.