IND vs ENG 2022, 3rd ODI: Pant ton, Pandya’s all-round brilliance lift India to ODI series win over England 

Rishabh Pant (125* off 113) struck his maiden one-day hundred, while Hardik Pandya (4/24 & 71) came up with a brilliant all-round effort as India beat England by five wickets in the third ODI on Sunday (July 17). The win saw India clinch the three-match series 2-1.

Pandya’s impressive bowling effort restricted England to 259 in 45.5 overs after India won the toss and bowled first at Old Trafford in Manchester. The all-rounder and Pant then featured in a scintillating fifth-wicket stand of 133 to lift India from 72 for 4.

Pant could have been dismissed for 18, but Jos Buttler missed a stumping off Moeen Ali’s bowling. The duo batted solidly after that, finding boundaries at key moments. Pandya came in and took charge right away, which eased the pressure on Pant. The right-handed batter pulled Brydon Carse for four and flicked him for a boundary early in his innings.

Pandya was the first to get to his fifty, off 43 balls, pushing Liam Livingstone for a single to long-off. Pant needed 71 balls to reach the landmark, but it was an equally significant effort considering the situation India were in when he walked into bat. The southpaw got to his fifty in style, smacking Ben Stokes to the long-off boundary.

Both batters opened up after that, attempting to shut England out of the contest. The 35th over of the Indian innings ended with Pant clubbing Craig Overton for a four and a six. Pandya then began the next over by crunching the first two balls from Carse for fours. However, England stayed in the hunt as Stokes pulled off a brilliant diving catch at midwicket to end Pandya’s wonderful knock for 71 off 55 balls.

Pant carried on after Pandya’s dismissal and got into the 90s in emphatic fashion, launching David Willey over cow corner for a brutal six. He brought up his maiden one-day hundred off 106 balls with a controlled pull off Overton to deep square leg for a single.

Having brought up a mature ton, Pant toyed with Willey, clobbering him for five consecutive fours to different parts of the ground as India raced towards victory. The winning runs deservedly came off Pant’s bat as he reverse swept Joe Root for a boundary.

Earlier, India’s chase got off to a disastrous start as Reece Topley sent the top three packing with only 38 runs on the board. Shikhar Dhawan’s (1) forgettable series ended when he sliced a drive from the England left-arm seamer to point. Skipper Rohit Sharma (17) and Virat Kohli (17) both perished to balls angling away from them. While Rohit nicked one to first slip, Kohli was caught by the keeper.

Suryakumar Yadav attempted to revive the innings, but was unsuccessful this time as he was back for 16 off 28. He poked at a back of a length delivery outside off stump from Overton and only managed to edge the delivery to the keeper. Pant and Pandya, though, knocked England out of the contest.

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Hardik Pandya claims 4 for 24 as India restrict England to 259

Rohit Sharma congratulates Hardik Pandya of India on the wicket of Liam Livngstone. Pic: Getty Images

Pandya was mighty impressive with the ball as India held England to 259 after winning the toss and bowling first. The right-arm pacer’s 4 for 24 came in seven overs, three of which were maidens. He made great use of the short ball and surprised a number of English batters with his pace.

Earlier, Jason Roy got England off to a great start, scoring three fours off Mohammed Shami in the first over. Mohammed Siraj, who was brought in for the injured Jasprit Bumrah, then put the hosts on the backfoot, dismissing Jonny Bairstow and Root for ducks in his first over. The former was caught at mid-off while the latter nicked a delivery in the corridor of uncertainty.

Roy failed to build on his early momentum and became Pandya’s first victim. Having made 41, he miscued a length ball outside off and was caught by the keeper. Pandya also sent back Stokes (27) with a well-directed short ball that the England left-hander could only lob for a simple catch back to the bowler.

England captain Buttler top-scored for the team with 60 off 80 balls. He struggled at the start and was even struck on the helmet twice in one over by Siraj. However, Buttler battled on and pushed the hosts towards a decent score. He found some support from Moeen Ali, who contributed 34 before being caught behind off Ravindra Jadeja.

Liam Livingstone (27) took on Pandya and smacked him for a couple of sixes. The pacer though hit back by having him caught at deep backward square leg with another well-directed short ball. Buttler fell in the same over, dragging a back-of-the-length ball to deep midwicket.

At 199 for 7, England were in danger of being bowled out for under 250. However, Overton (32) and Willey (18) kept India at bay, adding 48 for the eighth wicket. Yuzvendra Chahal, who was expensive, cleaned up the tail to end with figures of 3 for 60.

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India vs England 2022: Who was Player of the Match in third ODI?

Pandya put up a superb all-round show. His four-fer restricted England to a low score and his 71 was absolutely crucial in the chase after India lost early wickets. Pant was brilliant as well, bringing up his maiden one-day ton, which featured 16 fours and two sixes.

For the hosts, skipper Buttler scored a defiant 60 while Topley knocked over India’s top three cheaply.

Pant was named 'Player of the Match' for his fantastic hundred.