India crushed England by 150 runs in the fifth and final T20 international to take the series 4-1 with Abhishek Sharma putting on a batting exhibition with a blazing century, which was followed by a collective bowling effort at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, February 2. (More Cricket News)
The ho🎐sts’ 150-run v🐷ictory was also their second biggest by margin of runs in T20Is after their 168-run thrashing of New Zealand in 2023.
India will now play three ODIs before they fly to the UAE for the ICC Champions Trophy 20♑25, and before that, let us have a look at the five talking points of the five🥃-match T20I series.
Spin too hot for England to handle
India’s spinners dominated the England batting unit and picked up 24 wickets in the five-match series. Spinning a web𝔍 around the full of intent batting arsenal, the Indian spinners did not give England any breathing space throughout﷽ the series and were hunting in packs.
Varun Chakravarthy picked up 12 wickets, which included a five-for, while Axar Patel bagged six wickets. Ravi Bishnoi also was among the wickets with his four, while Washington Sundar chipped in whenever an opportunity came.
Abhi Shakes England
Abhishek Sharma toppled quite a few records en route a 54-ball 135 in the fifth and final T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, February 2. The 24-year-old swashbuckling opener scored the second-fastest century an🉐d the highest score by an Indian batter in T20Is.
The Punjab-born batter smas🅘hed a record 13 sixes, the most by an Indian in a single💯 T20I innings. Abhishek also completed the series as the highest run-getter, scoring 279 runs at an average of 55.80.
Suryakumar, Sanju Fail To Come To The Party
Despite a sensational 4-1 series ෴win, India’s concerns could remain beyond it, with Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson’s lean patch with the bat. Samson managed just 51 runs with the bat at an average of 10.20, while Suryakumar Yadav scored 28 runs, averaging 5.60.
Both batters, known for their aggressive approach and exquisite strokeplay failed to find rhythm and consistency in the series. The Indian T20💫I skipper now has gone without a major con💯tribution since his 75 against Bangladesh.
All-rounders, The Way Forward?
The Indian all-rounders playeꦆd a vital part in helping India win the series 4-1 with Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel all contributing with both bat and ball. Axar picked up six wickets, while making crucial contributions with the bat lower down the order.
On the other hand, Hardik was the fourth-highest run-getter in the five-match series and also💃 picked up five wickets. Dube was also among the runs, scoring a fiꦉfty in Pune, and a 13-ball 30 in Mumbai, and also picked two wickets.
Concussion, Controversy And More
Harshit Rana rep🔯laced Shivam Dube as a concussion substitute in the fourth T20I match at the MCA Stadium in Pune. The decision created a lot of controversy as Ravi Shastri, Harsha Bhogle, and Kevin Pietersen all discussed it on air, while the England skipper stated that i🦄t was not a like-for-like replacement.
"It is not a like-for-like r🌠eplacement. Either Shivam Dube has put on about 25mph with the ball or Harshit has really improved his batting," said Buttler after the game.
Sunil Gavaskar criticised India’s selection of Harshit Rana as a concussion𝓀 sub for Dube, calling it unfair and𝓰 not like-for-like.
