England vs India, Flashback: 3 T20s played between England and India in England

#2 Jade Dernbach’s 4-fer ensures a win for England in the One-off T20 in 2011

Skipper M.S Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first on an overcast day at Old Trafford. Ajinkya Rahane and Parthiv Patel got the team off to a great start scoring at more than 8 runs per over. However, the noticeable part of the match was witnessing Rahul Dravid, who was ironically making his debut as well as playing his last game in T20 International Cricket.

Dravid and Rahane put up a 65 runs partnership in just 42 balls for the second wicket. Rahul Dravid in his innings of 31 thumped 3 consecutive sixes of the bowling of Samit Patel. On the other end, Ajinkya Rahane played a classy knock of 61 in just 39 deliveries. His innings was full of authentic cover drives and cuts. However, the dismissal of both these batsman triggered a mini-collapse in the batting.

At one stage, India were scoring at more than 9 runs per over but with quick loss of wickets, India were restricted to 5-117 in 14 overs. Suresh Raina provided some late impetus by scoring 33 of 19 deliveries but with loss of wickets at the other end, India were bundled out for 165 inside the 20 overs.

Jade Dernbach picked up 4 wickets for just 22 runs and his bowling spell turned out to be a match winning spell.

In reply to India’s 165, England lost Alex Hales on the very second ball of the innings. Hales was trapped LBW by Vinay Kumar for 0. However, Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen stitched together a 58 run partnership for the second wicket in just 35 deliveries.

Although India picked up the wickets of Kieswetter (18) and Pietersen (33) in quick succession, they couldn’t stem the flow of boundaries.

Eoin Morgan played a counter-attacking knock of 49 from just 27 deliveries that virtually took the game away from India. His knock of 49 comprised of 7 boundaries and 1 huge maximum. Eoin Morgan was dismissed for 49 of the bowling of Munaf Patel, caught at point by Rohit Sharma in the 16th over. At this stage, England required 32 runs from 29 deliveries with 6 wickets in hand.

Ravi Bopara (31*) and Samit Patel (25*) ensured no further damage was done and England reached home with 3 deliveries to spare.

Result: England beat India by 6 wickets in the one-off T20 game.