Suryakumar’s maiden fifty lifts India

Iyer, Pant’s cameos help hosts post 185; Archer picks four wickets

Ahmedabad: Suryakumar Yadav smashed a blistering maiden fifty and powered India to 185 for 8 in their fourth T20 International match against England here on Thursday.

Suryakumar, who replaced an injured Ishan Kishan, struck six fours and three sixes in his 31-ball 57 to top score for India after being asked to bat. He debuted in the second T20I but did not bat in that match. He did not play in the third game. India did not have a big partnership but quickfire knocks from Shreyas Iyer (37 off 18 balls) and Rishabh Pant (30 off 23) took the hosts to their highest total of the series.

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England again opened the attack with leg-spinner Adil Rashid but Rohit Sharma (12) clobbered him for a six in the first ball of the match and then followed it up with a four. But Rohit’s promising innings was cut short in the fourth over as he was caught and bowled by Jofra Archer, who took career-best figures of 4/33.

Suryakumar hit Archer for a six in the first ball he faced in international cricket, picked up the gaps and found the boundaries to keep the scoreboard moving, though the England bowlers were by no means wayward. India’s 45 for 1 after the powerplay was not a top-notch effort but Suryakumar smacked Rashid for a six and a four in the seventh over to overtake opener KL Rahul (14). The home side suffered a double blow in the form of Rahul and captain Virat Kohli as they were pegged back to 70 for 3 in the ninth over.

Rahul continued his struggle as he offered a simple catch to Archer at mid-off off the bowling of Ben Stokes while Kohli was stumped out as he danced down the track to smash Rashid in an uncharacteristic show of aggression early in his innings. India were 75 for 3 at halfway mark with Suryakumar going great guns.

He reached his maiden international fifty from just 28 deliveries, with a four off Rashid in the 12th over. Pant joined the party as he hit two fours off Stokes in the 13th over, taking India’s score to 104 for 3. But Suryakumar was unlucky to have been given out in the 14th over after repeated replays of Dawid Malan’s catch off Sam Curran by the TV umpire.

A part of the ball seemed to have touched the ground but the TV umpire did not overturn the on-field umpire’s decision due to lack of conclusive proof. Ben Stokes took a blinder of a catch to get rid of Hardik Pandya in the 19th over and Washington Sundar was given out in the last over after repeated replays by the TV umpire.

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