Wed Jan 29 14:02:01 UTC 2025: ## India Loses Thrilling T20 Against England in Rajkot
**Rajkot, India:** England defeated India by 26 runs in a thrilling third T20I match in Rajkot. Chasing a 172-run target, India fell short, managing only 145 runs. Hardik Pandya’s impressive 40-run knock, though crucial, wasn’t enough to secure victory for the home side. His failure to run a single in the latter stages of the innings proved costly.
Pandya, batting at number five, struck two sixes and a four in his 35-ball innings. However, his dismissal in the 19th over, caught by Jos Buttler off Jimmy Overton, proved a turning point. The crucial moment came when Pandya refused a single in the previous over, leaving him stranded and vulnerable to Overton’s delivery in the following over.
India’s batting lineup struggled throughout the innings. Opener Sanju Samson was dismissed cheaply for 3 runs, while Suryakumar Yadav (14) and Tilak Varma (18) also failed to make significant contributions. Abhishek Sharma’s 24 runs off 14 balls offered a brief glimmer of hope. Many believe that had Pandya remained at the crease, India would have had a greater chance of winning. The loss leaves the series poised at 1-1.
First Piper 