England beats India by 26 runs in third T20, stays alive in series

New Delhi: England defeated India by 26 runs in the third T20 match of the series on Tuesday, narrowing India’s lead to 2-1. The match, held in Rajkot, saw England set a target of 172 runs, which India failed to chase, finishing at 145/9 in 20 overs.

Hardik Pandya was the top scorer for India with 40 runs, including two sixes and a four, while Varun Chakravarthy shone with the ball, claiming five wickets.

However, India’s batting lineup faltered, starting with a poor performance from opener Sanju Samson, who managed just three runs before being dismissed by Jofra Archer.

Abhishek Sharma contributed 24 runs off 14 balls with five boundaries, while Tilak Verma scored 18, and captain Suryakumar Yadav managed only 14. Axar Patel added 15 runs, and Mohammad Shami hit a six in his 7-run cameo.

For England, opener Ben Duckett was instrumental, scoring 51 runs off 28 balls with seven fours and two sixes. Liam Livingstone added a quick 43 off 24 balls, including five sixes. Captain Jos Buttler contributed 24 runs, helping England reach 171/9 in 20 overs.

This win keeps England in contention, with India leading the series 2-1 heading into the next match.