Match Center

Right then! This brings an end to England's tour of India. They lost the 4-match Test series by a margin of 3-1. Then the white-ball leg started and England played a good T20I series but still ended on the losing side this time by a margin of 3-2. The last part of the tour was the ODIs and England almost had their hand on the trophy but once again ended on the losing side by 2-1. India skipper, Virat Kohli takes the trophy now and poses for the shutterbugs with his team. We have had a complete dose of entertainment throughout the entire tour. We have a full dose of entertainment coming up. Yes, the most-loved Indian T20 League is back and this time at its home. The action begins on 9th April 2021 with the clash between Mumbai and Bangalore. We hope to have your company for that. Till then, cheers and take care.

Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper, says that when the top two teams battle each other, it usually provides games like these. Adds that Curran played really well but their bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals in the second innings. Adds that Natarajan and Hardik were brilliant to finish it off in the end. States that it is disappointing the most for the guys who drop the catches. Tells that sometimes the dropped catches cost you and sometimes, they don't. Adds that the important thing is crossing the line in the end. Tells that he was surprised that Shardul Thakur was not the Man of the Match and Bhuvneshwar and Shardul made the difference in this series. Goes onto say Prasidh was impressive and Krunal was good in the first game. Tells that he was pleased to see the depth of their batting. Tells that it has been an amazing season for them and they take away a lot from this season and they go into the Indian T20 league with a lot of experience. Tells that scheduling is something which needs to be looked at as being in a bubble for a long period of time is not ideal and he is sure that things will be discussed.

Jonny Bairstow, the MAN OF THE SERIES, says that he is pleased with how he struck the ball but is disappointed with the loss. Adds that it was nice to come back after a tough time in Tests and play well in the shorter formats. Says that Bhuvneshwar is a very good bowler and he knows something about him as they play in the same team in the Indian T20 League. Tells that Curran took the game deep and it was a special innings and he played out of his skins there. Says that Natarajan bowled extremely well in the final over. Tells that Curran executed his plans well and he timed it well.

Sam Curran, the MAN OF THE MATCH, says that he is happy with the way he played but is disappointed that they could now win. Adds that he has not played an innings like this and tells that he has gained some valuable experience. Tells that Natarajan bowled well in the final over and he showed how good a bowler he is. Tells that Bhuvneshwar is a great bowler. Says that he is learning and this was a great wicket and it has given him immense confidence. Adds that it is great playing cricket in India.

Jos Buttler, the England skipper, says that it was a fantastic game. Adds that both teams committed mistakes and played some great cricket as well. Tells that Sam Curran played an unbelievable knock. States that they are disappointed but there have been great learnings and white-leg tour has been very close. Goes onto say that they have gained valuable experiences and playing in India is also great learning. Tells that the guys will become much better cricketers after playing in India. Tells that it was a great wicket and it is hard to defend. Says that they dragged it back well in the end with the ball. Says that they never got big partnerships and that is what cost them. Adds that they are going from strength to strength and they have been playing some excellent cricket for a few years now. Tells that they are disappointed but Sam Curran showed some amazing maturity and he has gained some valuable experience from this knock.

Stay tuned for the presentation ceremony!

Bhuvneshwar Kumar now comes up. He says that being a bowler, they are always under pressure. Adds that they were prepared for anything. Goes onto say that he was ready to bowl the first over and he knew if he could bowl the inswinger, he could get the wicket. Tells that he is looking forward to the Indian T20 League.

Shikhar Dhawan is up for a chat. He says that he was always in the groove and once he got the chance, he made the most of it and it is a good feeling to bat like this. Says that he was playing domestic cricket and he played Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy and the Vijay Hazare trophy to prepare for this series. Adds that it was a true wicket and he enjoys playing on a bouncy wicket.

Earlier after being put to bat, the Indan openers started in full flow as they stitched a 103-run stand. England did manage to make a comeback with three quick wickets. And once again it was Rishabh Pant on whom India rested their hopes. He did not disappoint as he played a quickfire innings along with Hardik Pandya. Though both departed in quick succession and India, from a position of ascendancy, fell apart losing 4 wickets for 8 runs to get bowled out for 329 runs. With the ball for England, Mark Wood ended with 3 wickets as Rashid had a couple to his name. England used 7 bowlers and all of them were in the wickets column. India had their heart in their mouth as their score just proved enough to win.

India's bowling was exceptional from the start as they kept the English batsmen in check and picked wickets regularly. They were in a commanding position when England were reeling at 200/7. Then the stand between Curran and Adil Rashid first frustrated them and then Curran along with Mark Wood threatened to take the game away from them but they did hang around and finally came out with flying colours. It was Bhuvneshwar Kumar's two wickets at the start when he sent Roy and Bairstow, England's two batting mainstays. Then Shardul Thakur took it from him and ran riot in the English camp as he ended with yet another 4-wicket haul. The big boost for India though was Hardik the batsman, as well as the bowler, did a fair job. But as a fielder, he was off-colour as he dropped two catches. The rest of the bowlers though were taken for a hit but T Natarajan asked to bowl the final over held his nerves and won it for India. India though should have closed the game much earlier after having England on the mat but it was the fielding. No matter they plucked some good catches but dropped 4 catches which made them toil hard in the field till the end.

Just when India thought that they would wrap up the game quickly, Sam Curran had other ideas as he ran, cut, pulled, defended. He did all the things to keep England in the hunt and take them as close as possible to the Indian innings. In the end, what you call experience is what he lacked and thus he could not finish off the game. This should just make him a mature player in the coming years. Not just Curran but all praises for Mark Wood. Despite suffering from dehydration while bowling, he hung around with Sam to stitch a 60-run stand for the 9th wicket. In the end, England fell short by a mere 7 runs.

Chasing a score of 330 runs, England needed a strong start which they got as Roy stroked 3 boundaries in Bhuvneshwar Kumar's first over before departing off a beauty. They still had the momentum on their side but a close LBW call off Jonny Bairstow snatched away the momentum from them. Stokes after being given a reprieve by Pandya failed to capitalise as he fell off a full toss. Buttler's poor form continued as he departed cheaply. Malan played a lone hand as he scored his maiden ODI fifty but could not continue for long. Liam Livingstone fell off a full toss too after getting a start. But Adil Rashid and Sam Curran continued to keep England in the hunt.

A game to remember for the ages to come. Take a bow, Sam Curran. Though England lost the game but Curran becomes a hero. Someone with such little experience has hung around to give India a run for their money. At one stage England were all out of the game but this little lad had other plans as he went about his business to take the game to the last over, last ball.

What an over from T Natarajan! India win! Full ball on middle, Curran smacks it to the long on region. INDIA WIN THE MATCH BY 7 RUNS AND THE SERIES 2-1.

FOUR! Excellent stuff! India won't mind four but now Natarajan should not bowl a wide or a No Ball. Full ball outside off, Curran lifts it over extra cover for a boundary.

Low full toss on off, Curran smacks it to long off but it is straight to the fielder there. No run. 2 sixes needed in 2 balls.

Yorker outside off, Curran digs it out to long on and refuses to take the single. 12 needed in 3.

Topley gets the run! Full ball outside off, Topley drives it to deep cover for a single.