Arshdeep Singh gave India the hard new-ball shock they needed at Old Trafford, removing Phil Salt and Jos Buttler in the opening over of England’s chase in the second T20I.
India had earlier reached 190 for seven after being asked to set the pace in Manchester, with Ishan Kishan making 49 and Abhishek Sharma adding 43 before Tilak Varma’s late hitting pushed the tourists to a far more awkward total than England had looked likely to concede. ESPNcricinfo’s live blog described the turn immediately: Arshdeep struck twice in the first over of the 191 chase.
India find their route back after late Curran control
Sam Curran’s three-wicket spell had checked India through the middle and death overs, but England’s chase lost its clean shape before it had properly begun. Salt and Buttler both went without scoring, leaving Harry Brook to attack from a position of repair rather than control.
The ECB match centre also highlighted the Buttler wicket among its latest clips, underlining how quickly the contest tilted after the interval.
That matters because the series had already been denied a result at Durham, where rain prevented England from chasing India’s 189. This time, India had runs on the board and immediate scoreboard pressure with the ball.
With the chase still live at the time of writing, the broader judgement on England’s response must wait. But Arshdeep’s opening over has already changed the emotional pitch of the series: India have turned a par total into a test of England’s middle-order nerve.
