India is facing a must-win situation in Bristol, trailing 2-0 in their five-match T20I series against England after suffering a bruising 125-run defeat in Nottingham. In the fourth T20I, India suffered another top-order collapse, with Abhishek Sharma contributing to the woes.
After the departure of the teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, it was Abishek Sharma who briefly took on the English bowlers. He was tracking steadily at 16 runs off 14 deliveries. During the 7th over, England's veteran leg-spinner Adil Rashid threw up a tempting delivery.
Sharma swung hard across the line, miscuing the shot completely. The ball shot high into the Bristol sky, allowing Rashid to display excellent reflex awareness, track to his left, and secure a sharp caught-and-bowled dismissal.
Watch the video here:
Read also: Watch: Jofra Archer Dismisses Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Again as England Strike Early in IND vs ENG 4th T20I
Shreyas Iyer’s 80 give hopes to India in Bristol
Shreyas Iyer produced a captain’s knock to keep India afloat in the fourth T20I at Bristol, carrying the innings with an unbeaten 80 off 49 balls as India posted 158/7 against England. With the series on the line, India once again suffered an unstable start, slipping to 48/3 inside the powerplay after Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma fell cheaply.
Shivam Dube offered some support with 22, and his 53-run stand with Iyer briefly steadied the innings. But England kept striking at regular intervals to stop India from breaking free.
Iyer, however, held one end firm and shifted gears beautifully after a watchful start. He reached his fifty in 33 balls and finished with four boundaries and five sixes, accounting for more than half of India’s total. His effort single-handedly pushed India to a competitive score after they were 101/4 in the 14th over.
For England, Jofra Archer was outstanding with 2/20, while Josh Tongue also picked up two wickets. Adil Rashid, despite dismissing Abhishek, proved expensive, leaking 49 runs in his four overs.
