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29 March 2024

India thrash England by 7 wkts; 2-1 series lead

Published
By Allaam Ousman

Virat Kohli hit a magnificent unbeaten 77 as India thrashed England by seven wickets with nearly 22 overs to spare to win the 3rd one-day international at Ranchi on Saturday to take a 2-1 series lead.

It was a fairytale ending for hometown hero Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni who hit the winning runs by pulling Steven Finn to the square leg boundary in the 29th over.

Dhoni came in to middle to deafening cheers when Yuvraj Singh fell with just 12 needed for victory.

He opened his account by smashing Finn straight past the bowler before doing the honours to the delight of the capacity crowd at JSCA stadium.

Dhoni's decision to put England into bat first after winning the toss paid dividends as they bowled out the opposition for 155 in the 43rd over.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers claiming 3 for 19 while Ishant Sharma returned to pick up two important wickets at the top of the order.

"150 was nowhere near enough on that wicket. Credit to India. We did not get out to attacking shots, got out to defensive shots. It is frustrating. We have the potential, but we are not clicking at the moment," said England skipper Alistair Cook vowing to bounce back since the series was still alive.

Joe Root (39) was the top scorer for England who never really could get going as India struck at regular intervals.

After the pacies did the early damage with Ishant Sharma removing Kevin Pietersen (17) and Root to reduce England to 68 for 3, spin twins Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin ripped through the middle and lower order.

Jadeja returned best figures of 3 for 19 from 6.2 overs while Ashwin claimed 2 for 37 and Sharma 2 for 29 from seven overs.

England never really recovered after losing three wickets within the space of nine deliveries to slip from 97-3 to 98-6.

Tim Bresnan (25) and Root revived the innings with a dogged stand of 47 in 70 balls for the seventh wicket but they departed in quick succession as England collapsed in a heap.

Indian captain Dhoni credited the bowlers for the victory.

"Bowlers did the job for us. It was important to take wickets with the new ball. 150-odd was not enough to defend for the English side," he said.

But more ominously for England, Kohli was back at his vintage best becoming the second fastest player to complete 4,000 ODI runs after West Indian great Vivian Richards.

Kohli steadied the innings after the early loss of Ajinkya Rahane for a duck, as he attacked the England bowling from the start.

Three of his nine boundaries came in one hostile over from Jade Dernbach to begin the assault.

More significantly for India, Kohli was associated in two solid partnerships first with Gautam Gambhir (33) of 67 for the second wicket and a racy 66-run stand for the third with Yuvraj Singh (30).

Kohli's 22nd ODI half century which came off 79 balls also contained a couple of hits over the ropes off James Tredwell.

"I was batting well for a while, but getting out in different ways. Today I just reacted to the way the ball was thrown at me. I did not have to pre-plan which I was doing in the previous games. I was relying on my reflexes," said Kohli on his return to form after receiving the man of the match award.


 

INDIA INNINGS

Yuvraj Singh is bowled by James Tredwell who breaks the third wicket partnership with Virat Kohli with India needing just 12 for victory.

Yuvraj made 30 off 21 balls with six boundaries having 66 runs with Kohli in eight overs for the third wicket.

Virat Kohli lofts James Tredwell for the second six of the match to bring up the half century partnership in 48 balls for the unbroken third wicket.

India are racing to victory with Virat Kohli back to his sparkling best and Yuvraj Singh having hit so boundaries so far.

Virat Kohli stepped out and hoised James Tredwell over long on for the first six of the match in the 22nd over.

Yuvraj Singh fell just short with a massive hit to midwicket in the previoyus over from Tim Bresnan.

Kohli is on fire after having taken just 58 balls to reach his 22nd ODI half century while India reached their 100 in the 21st over

Virat Kohli becomes the fastest to score 4,000 ODI runs after West Indian great Viv Richards when he gets a single to move to 49.

Yuvraj Singh slams Tredwell over extra cover to open his account.

Kohli completes his 22nd ODI half century in the next over with a couple.

Virat Kohli smashes a short delivery from Tim Bresnan in the ninth over for his eighth boundary.

Gautam Gambhir throws his wicket away giving the charge to James Tredwell lobbing a catch to Joe Root at mid on after having made 33 off 52 balls with four boundaries.

Gambhir added 67 runs in 14.4 overs for the second wicket with Virat Kohli.

Gautam Gambhir pushes a Tim Bresnan delivery through point to the boundary as India begin the run chase after the drinks break.

Virat Kohli brings up the 50 partnership in 68 balls for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir by pulling a short delivery from Steven Finn to the fine leg fence.

England bounce back with two consecutive maiden overs by Tim Bresnan.

Virat Kohli brings up the 50 of the Indian innings with a love carpet back past Steven Finn before getting a top edge to the third man over the keeper.

India have got off to a sound start having reached 48 for the loss of Ajiknya Rahane in the first 10 Powerplay overs in which England made 34-1.

Gautam Gambhir is living dangerously edging Finn over the slips for his third boundary in a fiery ninth over.

Virat Kohli seems to be back to his fluent best easing Tim Bresnan through the covers for his fourth boundary in the eighth over.

It's raining boundaries for India as Virat Kohli takes on Jade Dernbach lashing three consecutive boundaries in the sixth over.

The first is an edge over the keeper, the second a confident pull to deep square leg and the next is a flick past square leg.

Gautam Gambhir fends a legside delivery from Steven Finn to the square leg fence for his second boundary in the fifth over.

India get off to a disastrous start as Ajinkya Rahane is bowled through the gate for a duck by Steven Finn in the third over.

Rahane's off stump is sent cartwheeling as Finn catches the batsman leaden footed and nips one through a big gap between bat and pad.

Gautam Gambhir cracks Jade Dernbach past backward point in the second over for the first boundary of the Indian innings as they begin chasing a target of 156.

ENGLAND INNINGS

Jade Dernbach is the last man out bowled by left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for a duck.

England lose their ninth wicket as Steven Finn holes out to Yuvraj Singh in the deep to give Suresh Raina his first wicket.

England are 155-9 after 42 overs after being put into bat by India in the third one-day international at Ranchi on Saturday.

England choked in the batting Powerplay overs scoring just 20 runs for the loss of two wickets.

England are crumbling losing Joe Root and Tim Bresnan within the space of five deliveries.

Bresnan is bowled through the gate by a beauty from Ashwin attempting to drive him through the covers after making 25 off 37 balls with three boundaries.

Ishant Sharma returns to break the seventh wicket partnership with Joe Root caught behind by Dhoni after having a struck him to the third man fence in the previous delivery.

Root made 39 off 57 balls with four boundaries adding 47 runs for the seventh wicket with Bresnan.

Tim Bresnan attacks Ravichandran Ashwin driving him through point in the first batting Powerplay over.

India are tightening the screw as England are battling to make a respectable total with the runs having dried up.

Tim Bresnan has tickled one from Ravindra Jadeja to the third man boundary.

Left arm Ravindra Jadeja has put India right on top of the game dismissing Craig Kieswetter and Samit Patel for a duck within the space of four deliveries.

England's innings are in tatters as Craig Kieswetter is bowled through the gate for a duck by left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja in the 25th over.

Jadeja get the prized wicket of Samit Patel trapping him leg before for a duck with an arm ball.

England lose their fourth wicket as Eoin Morgan miscues a reverse sweep straight to Yuvraj Singh at backward point off Ravichandran Ashwin after making 10 off 30 balls.

Joe Root drives Shami Ahmed on the off for his third boundary in the 23rd over.

Joe Root sweeps to the midwicket fence in the 22nd over and survives being stumped two balls later in an eventful first over bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin.

Eoin Morgan gets in to his stride driving Ishant Sharma through cover and extra cover for his first boundary in the 19th over.

Joe Root breaks the shackles cracking Bhuvneshwar Kumar through point in the 18th over.

England are in deep trouble after losing Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in successive deliveries.

Bell is out chopping at a delivery from Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Dhoni standing up taking a sharp catch after making 25 off 43 balls with three boundaries.

Ishant Sharma strikes after changing ends getting the big wicket of Kevin Pietersen who is caught behind for 17 in the 15th over.

Pietersen is dismayed after getting a faint outside edge to Sharma after a fluent knock of 17 off 20 balls with two boundaries.

England are on the attack despite the early loss of skipper Alistair Cook with spin being introduced in the 14th over after the last three went for 28.

Kevin Pietersen brings up the 50 of the England innings with a lovely off drive past Ishant Sharma and whips the next ball to the midwicket fence in the 12th over.

Bhuvneshvar Kumar's eighth over is a wicket maiden.

Ishant Sharma has gone for 10 in his first over bringing back nightmares of being hit around the park in Chennai.

Ian Bell attacks Bhuvneshwar Kumar hitting him through extra cover and fine leg for two consecutive boundaries in the 11th over.

England are finding the going tough having made just 34 with four boundaries for the loss of Alistair Cook in the first 10 Powerplay overs.

Ian Bell hits his first boundary cutting Kumar to third man in the ninth over.

Cook is caught plumb in front as he shuffles across the stump and tries to flick Ahmed to square leg after facing 28 balls for his 17 which contained three boundaries.

Shami Ahmed draws first blood in the eighth over as Alistair Cook is trapped leg before for 17.

Alistair Cook has got into his stride early in the innings having hit three boundaries so far with some crisp strokeplay.

Alistair Cook slaps Bhuvneshwar Kumar through the covers for his second boundary in the fifth over.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bowled a maiden in the third over of the match.

Alistair Cook whips Shami Ahmed to the midwicket boundary with the ball racing to the fence in the second over.

Indian skipper MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl in the 3rd one-day international against England at Ranchi on Saturday.

Tim Bresnan is back for England at the expense of Chris Woakes.

Both captain Dhoni and England's Alistair Cook feel dew will play a major role in the brand new JSCA (Jharkhand State Cricket Association) Stadium at Jharkhand.

India fielded an unchanged team.

The five-match series is level with England winning the first match and India rebounded to win the second game in Kochi.

Teams

India: Gautam Gambhir, Ajankye Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Shami Ahmed

England: Alistair Cook, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Craig Kieswetter, Samit Patel, James Tredwell, Tim Bresnan, Steven Finn, Jade Dernbach