Tue Jan 28 19:42:06 UTC 2025: ## England Beats India by 26 Runs in Thrilling T20 Match
**Rajkot, India:** England defeated India by 26 runs in the third T20I of their five-match series on Tuesday, January 28th, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. Winning the toss, India opted to bowl first.
England, despite a strong start, posted a competitive 171/9 in their 20 overs. Ben Duckett top-scored with 51 runs, while Liam Livingstone contributed a crucial 43. Varun Chakravarthy was the pick of the Indian bowlers, taking an impressive five wickets. Hardik Pandya claimed two, with Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel each picking up one wicket.
Chasing 172 for victory, India struggled throughout their innings, eventually finishing on 145/9. Hardik Pandya (40) offered some resistance, but wickets fell regularly. Jamie Overton was the star for England with the ball, taking three crucial wickets, supported by Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, who bagged two wickets each.
India’s batting lineup faltered, with only Hardik Pandya offering significant resistance. Sanju Samson (3), Abhishek Sharma (24), Suryakumar Yadav (14), Tilak Varma (18), and Washington Sundar (6) all failed to deliver substantial contributions.
The match saw the return of Mohammed Shami to the Indian playing XI, replacing Arshdeep Singh. England remained unchanged from their previous match. The series now stands at 2-1 in India’s favour, with the fourth T20I scheduled for Pune on January 31st.
First Piper 