Second Twenty20 international, Emirates Old Trafford
India 190-7 (20 overs): Kishan 49 (40), Sharma 43 (24), Iyer 37 (22); Curran 3-33
England 191-6 (19 overs): Bethell 76* (46), Brook 39 (15), Banton 39 (32), Arshdeep 3-40
England won by four wickets, lead five-match series 1-0
Scorecard
Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest man to play for India in England’s thrilling four-wicket win in the second T20 at Old Trafford.
At 15 years and 99 days old, the opener broke the record set by the great Sachin Tendulkar when he played a Test against Pakistan aged 16 years and 205 days in 1989.
Although Sooryavanshi sparkled for 14 off 10 balls in India’s 190-7, it was England’s own protege, Jacob Bethell, who led them to victory with an over to spare.
Bethell crunched a breathtaking unbeaten 76 from 46 balls to give the home side a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Sooryavanshi’s inclusion sent a frisson of excitement around Old Trafford, giving a boisterous and partisan crowd further reason to make noise.
And the left-hander gave a brief glimpse of the thrilling strokeplay that has enthralled the cricketing world.
From the fourth delivery he faced, and first from England fast bowler Jofra Archer, Sooryavanshi audaciously whipped over his shoulder for six. In the next over, Josh Tongue was larruped over cow corner for six.
In the fifth over, Sooryavanshi looked primed to attack the off-spin of Will Jacks, only to run past a flatter one and be stumped.
Ishan Kishan made 49, Abhishek Sharma 43 and Shreyas Iyer 37, but India were stifled by tight bowling from Jacks and Sam Curran, the latter claiming 3-33. The tourists took 23 off the last seven balls, yet their total felt no better than par.
From 1-2 in the first over, England were kickstarted by captain Harry Brook’s 39 from 15 balls, followed by a stand of 67 between Bethell and Tom Banton.
England needed 49 off the final four, when Bethell climbed into the leg-spin of Ravi Bishnoi, hammering three sixes for a total of 29 off the 17th over.
And Archer calmly clipped the winning runs from the final ball of the 19th over to put England ahead going into the third match of the series at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.
