3rd T20I: Suryakumar Yadav special not enough for India against England | Cricket News – Times of India

Surya’s magical 117 almost takes India home in chase of 216; England win by 17 runs
Is Suryakumar Yadav the true successor of AB de Villers? Like the South African genius, ‘Sky’ too has a ‘360 degree’ range of shots, which can leave the bowlers tearing their hair in frustration.
AS IT HAPPENED | SCORECARD
Leaving everyone mesmerized with his magical strokeplay, ‘Surya’, playing the lone ranger on a burning deck, blasted his maiden international century (117, 55b, 14×4, 6×6), but couldn’t prevent India from going down to England by 17 runs in a high-scoring third T20I against England at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Sunday. The visitors still finished the series as 2-1 winners, with the tour moving to its final leg-the three match ODI series which kicks off on Tuesday.
When Yadav walked in, India, chasing 216, were 13 for two in the third over, with Rishabh Pant (1) and out-of-form former India captain Virat Kohli (11) back in the hut. The score soon became 31 for three in five overs as skipper Rohit Sharma (11) too succumbed to English seamer Recce Topley, who finished with superb figures of 3-22 on a flat track.

However, unleashing some unbelievable, mind-boggling strokeplay while galloping away to become the fifth Indian batsman to score a T20I hundred, Yadav added 119 for the fourth wicket off just 61 balls, with fellow Mumbaikar Shreyas Iyer (28, 23b, 2×4), before the latter again succumbed to the short ball, edging Topley behind the stumps after making room.
It was just the foot in the door that England needed, as Dinesh Karthik (6) and Ravindra Jadeja (7) both fell lbw in quick time. With India needing 42 off two overs, ‘Sky’ gave them the hope of pulling off a miracle when he creamed Moeen Ali for two fours and a six of the off-spinner’s first three balls. However, his captivating knock, and India’s challenge in the game, ended when he slammed Moeen down the throat of Phil Salt off the fifth ball of the 19th over. With Chris Jordan bowling a fine last over, India eventually finished at 198 for nine.

Having just witnessed one of the finest hundreds in a T20I game, the English crowd, and the Indian dressing room, with Kohli prominent there, were generous in their applause of Yadav’s phenomenal innings, which saw him blast off to a 48-ball hundred.
Even as they ponder over the T20I future for Kohli, India would be delighted that they have probably the most dangerous middle-order batsman in this format in ‘Sky,’ who loves to dispatch the bowlers to all corners of the ground with ridiculous ease. As he has done in the IPL over the years, the 31-yearold swept both the pacers and spinners with little fuss, but his best shot was a shot that fetched him a six over cover off a Richard Gleeson ball that pitched on the leg stump, as he opened the face of the bat. In the next over, he hit another six off Chris Jordan, leaving the bowler flabbergasted.

Though it ended up in a losing cause, Yadav’s phenomenal century put to shade Dawid Malan‘s magnificent 77 (39b, 6×4, 5×6) and Liam Livingstone‘s quickfire 42 not out (29b, 4×6), which helped England score an imposing 215 for seven after the hosts chose to bat first.
Let off in the sixth over by Harshal Patel off his own bowling when he was yet to get off the mark, Malan made India pay dearly for the costly lapse, taking the bowlers to the cleaners on a belter while smashing his 12th T20I half-century. When Malan and Livingstone, who both play for Punjab Kings in the IPL, joined forces, the hosts were delicately placed at 84 for three in the 19th over, but the duo launched a blistering onslaught on India’s bowlers during their 84-run blitzkrieg of a fourth wicket partnership which took merely 42 balls.

India’s woes were best reflected by Kohli, usually an excellent fielder, dropping a sitter at deep mid-wicket to provide a reprieve to Livingstone, who was then batting on 36, in the penultimate over, with Harshal being the unlucky bowler again. Struggling with the bat, Kohli had earlier misfielded a ball at the point boundary, allowing Malan a four off Bishnoi.