Hardik-Dube stand to Mahmood's triple-wicket maiden: 5 talking points from India's win vs England in 4th T20I

After posting a total of 181/9 in 20 overs, thanks to fifties by Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, Indian bowlers managed to bundle out England for 166 in 20 overs in the fourth T20I at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Friday, January 31. 

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Team India sealed the five-match T20I series with a 15-run win over England in the fourth T20I at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday, January 31. After posting a total of 181/9 in 20 overs, thanks to fifties by Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, Indian bowlers managed to bundle out England for 166 in 20 overs. 

Harshit Rana and Ravi Bishnoi led the bowling attack as they both picked three wickets each. Varun Chakravarthy scalped two wickets, while Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh chipped in with a wicket each. Arshdeep fell wicket short of achieving the feat of becoming the first Indian bowler to complete 100 T20I wickets. 

For England, Harry Brook was top scorer with an innings of 51 off 26 balls, while openers Ben Duckett and Phil Salt scored 39 and 23, respectively. 

Apart from India’s win in the fourth T20I against England that eventually sealed the series for the Men in Blue, let’s take a look at five key takeaways from the match. 

1. Saqib Mahmood's triple wicket maiden over

England pacer Saqib Mahmood’s bowling brilliance triggered a collapse to India’s batting line-up in a single over, leaving the hosts in a shambolic situation. In the second over of India’s batting, Mahmood picked three wickets of Sanju Samson (1), Tilak Varma (0), and Suryakumar Yadav (0) without a single run in an over and reduced the opposition's score to 12/3 in two overs. After rattling India’s batting line-up with his triple-wicket maiden, Saqib Mahmood didn’t take any more wickets as he registered the figure 3/35 at an economy rate of 8.80 in his quota of four overs. It was Mahmood’s first match of the T20I series against India and he has already shown his impact by dismantling India’s top-order in his fiery spell. 

2. Sanju Samson’s struggle with short ball 

Opener Sanju Samson failed to make an impact again in the series as he was dismissed for just 1 run by Saqib Mahmood. His struggle with the short ball was visible as he didn’t have a room to get the free swing of his hands and tried to hit towards the deep-leg square where he was caught by Brydon Carse. In the last four matches, Samson struggled against the short-pitched deliveries, which have become his weakness and a cause of concern for Team India management. Across four innings, Sanju Samson has managed to score just 34 at an abysmal average of 11.33. Samson needs to come up with goods in the final match of the T20I series against England at Wankhede Stadium in order to have his place retained. 

3. Hardik Pandya-Shivam Dube crucial partnership 

If it was not for Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, India wouldn’t have been able to post a respectable total on the board. India were in a shambolic situation with 79/5 in 10.4 overs when Hardik and Shivam stepped up for the team when they were needed the most. The middle-order pair formed a crucial 87-run partnership to take India past the 160-run mark. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube registered half-centuries, with both scoring identical 53 in the fourth T20I against England. Hardik and Shivam’s crucial partnership helped post a total of 181/9, which was successfully defended by the bowlers by bundling out England for 166 in 20 overs. 

4. Harry Brook returns to form 

Harry Brook was brutally trolled for his failure to deliver in the last three matches of the ongoing T20I series against Team India. However, he managed to revive his form and registered his first fifty of the series. England vice-captain walked out to bat when the side was at 65/2 in 6.5 overs and played a brilliant innings of 51 off 26 at an impressive strike rate of 196.15. However, his effort went in vain as England fell 16 runs short of achieving the 182-run target set by India. With his half century, Harry Brook has aggregated 89 runs at an average of 22.25 in four matches. 

5. Harshit Rana’s impact 

Harshit Rana didn’t get a chance to play in the last three matches of the ongoing T20I series against England. However, he got an opportunity after the pacer came in as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube, who injured his head by a bouncer during India’s batting. Rana made his impact as he picked three crucial wickets of Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethel, and Jamie Overton to register figures 3/33 at an economy rate of 8.2. His contribution played a vital role in India’s win in the fourth T20I against England.