India’s skipper praises Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Harshit Rana after a thrilling 15-run victory in Pune.
Pune, February 1 – India sealed a thrilling 15-run victory over England in the fourth T20I at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, securing an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav lauded his team’s all-round performance, emphasizing that the squad is “moving in the right direction.”
Suryakumar Praises India’s Resilience & Fightback
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Suryakumar praised Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube for their calm and aggressive approach after India’s shaky start. He also commended Harshit Rana’s impactful debut and how the team stayed positive despite early setbacks.
“Top effort from everyone, and an amazing crowd from start to finish. Losing three wickets in one over was tough, but the positivity shown by Hardik and Dube in the middle was outstanding. This is exactly the brand of cricket we want to play—fearless and expressive,” Suryakumar told ESPNcricinfo.
“Harshit Rana coming in as a third seamer and delivering for us was incredible. I always knew that post-powerplay (overs 7-10) would be crucial, and we controlled the game well in that phase.”
Match Recap: India Recovers from Early Collapse
Winning the toss, England opted to bowl first, and their bowlers dominated the powerplay, reducing India to 12/3. Saqib Mahmood’s sensational over, where he took a triple-wicket maiden, sent back Sanju Samson (1), Tilak Varma (0), and captain Suryakumar Yadav (0), putting India in deep trouble.
However, India’s middle order fought back brilliantly:
✅ Abhishek Sharma (29) and Rinku Singh (30) steadied the innings with a 45-run partnership.
✅ Hardik Pandya (53) and Shivam Dube (53) turned the game around, powering India to 181/9.
Harshit Rana & Ravi Bishnoi Lead India’s Defense
During England’s run chase, they got off to a solid start with Philip Salt (23) and Ben Duckett (39), but India’s bowlers turned the tide:
🔹 Ravi Bishnoi (3/28) provided crucial breakthroughs.
🔹 Harshit Rana (3/31), replacing concussed Shivam Dube, stepped up in crunch moments.
🔹 Varun Chakravarthy (2/28) removed Harry Brook (51) in the 15th over, crushing England’s hopes.
🔹 Jamie Overton (19) and Adil Rashid (10) fought late, but India bowled out England for 166.*
India Aims for Series Finale Dominance in Mumbai
With the series already in the bag, India will face England in the fifth and final T20I at Wankhede Stadium on February 2, aiming for a 4-1 series win. Meanwhile, England will look to salvage some pride before heading home.
India vs England, IND vs ENG T20I, Suryakumar Yadav, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, T20 Cricket, India Cricket Team, England Cricket Team, Pune T20I, Wankhede Stadium
#INDvsENG #SuryakumarYadav #HarshitRana #RaviBishnoi #HardikPandya #ShivamDube #T20Cricket #CricketNews #TeamIndia #EnglandCricket #WankhedeT20 #T20I