Fri Jan 31 16:20:00 UTC 2025: ## India Edges Closer to T20 Series Win After Thrilling Victory Over England

**Pune, India** – India took a commanding 3-1 lead in the five-match T20I series against England with a thrilling victory in Pune on Thursday. After winning the toss and electing to bowl, England’s strategy was thwarted by impactful performances from India’s middle order.

India’s top order crumbled early, losing three wickets for only 37 runs. However, Hardik Pandya (53 runs off 30 balls) and Shivam Dube (53 runs off 34 balls) anchored the innings with impressive half-centuries, propelling India to a challenging 181/9 in their 20 overs. Rinku Singh (30) and Abhishek Sharma (29) also contributed significantly to the total. England’s Saqib Mahmood was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 wickets for 35 runs.

England’s chase started aggressively, with Ben Duckett (39) and Phil Salt (23) providing a quickfire start. However, India’s spinners, led by Ravi Bishnoi, struck crucial blows, dismissing key batsmen including Duckett, Jos Buttler, and Liam Livingstone. Despite Harry Brook’s impressive 47, England ultimately fell short, failing to reach the target.

The match saw several significant changes to both teams’ playing XIs. England replaced Mark Wood with Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Smith with Jacob Bethell. India made three changes, bringing in Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh, and Shivam Dube in place of Mohammed Shami, Dhruv Jurel, and Washington Sundar respectively.

The victory further solidified Hardik Pandya’s status as a valuable all-rounder for India, exceeding Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s record for most T20I overs bowled by an Indian bowler. Arshdeep Singh’s return to the team also bolstered India’s bowling attack. The series now heads to the final match, with India on the verge of a series win. The match highlighted the vulnerability of Sanju Samson against short-pitched bowling, a weakness England attempted to exploit.

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