'It haunted us': Shreyas Iyer on Manchester T20I defeat
What's the story
Indian cricket team captain Shreyas Iyer has admitted that the turning point in their four-wicket loss to England in the second T20I was a costly over from leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. The match, played at Old Trafford, saw India in contention until the 15th over. However, a disastrous 29-run over by Bishnoi turned the tide in favor of England. The defeat is India's third in four T20Is under Iyer's captaincy, including two losses against Ireland and one rain-abandoned match in Durham.
Match analysis
The turning point of the match
The turning point of the match came in the 17th over, Bishnoi's last of the night. With England needing 49 runs off 24 balls, Iyer handed the ball to his spinner. However, a series of errors proved fatal as Bishnoi bowled two no-balls that were hit for sixes by Jacob Bethell. The over ended up costing India 29 runs, making it one of the most expensive overs in T20I history.
Captain's perspective
Iyer backs Bishnoi to learn from mistakes
In the post-match presentation, Iyer didn't blame a single player for the loss but acknowledged that the 17th over was crucial. He said, "I think we all know where it went away, but I don't want to pinpoint a particular player. The 17th over haunted us. But he (Bishnoi) will learn." Despite this setback, Iyer remained optimistic about his team's potential for recovery in future matches.
Match highlights
India post a strong total after winning toss
Iyer opted to bat first after winning the toss, making one change to the side. Sanju Samson was dropped for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became the youngest-ever Indian men's cricketer to play a senior international match at 15 years and 99 days. The new opening pair of Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma scored 50 runs in the first five overs with aggressive batting. Iyer also contributed with a brisk 37 off 22 balls as India posted a challenging total of 190/7.
Match dynamics
England chase down India's target with 6 balls to spare
India's bowling defense started well with Arshdeep Singh dismissing Phil Salt and Jos Buttler for ducks in the first over. However, England captain Harry Brook counter-attacked and scored 27 runs off an over from Arshdeep. He was eventually dismissed by Axar Patel, who also claimed his 100th T20I wicket. A strong 67-run partnership between Tom Banton and Bethell sealed the match for England with six balls to spare.