After losing the first two T20Is, hosts India made a terrific comeback to level the five-match series 2-2. India won the third and fourth T20I and it is now upon the final game to decide the series winner.
In the fourth T20 played in Rajkot, India put 169 runs on the board batting first. While the top order wasn’t able to contribute, the likes of Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik displayed great batting effort to take the team to a good total. Pandya scored 46 off 31, hitting three boundaries and as many sixes in the process. This is the all-rounder’s highest T20I score. The previous best was 42 not out against Australia in 2020. Karthik, on the other hand, hit 55 off 27 laced with nine boundaries and two maximums. This is his maiden fifty which came in his 30th T20I innings.
In response, the visitors were bundled out for a mere 87 runs and India won by 82 runs. Eight of their batsmen scored in single digits, with Quinton de Kock (14), Rassie van der Dussen (20) and Marco Jansen (12) being the exceptions.
Avesh Khan was India’s best bowler with four wickets for just 18 runs. Yuzvendra Chahal picked up two while Harshal Patel and Axar Patel chipped in with one each. Axar also reached the landmark of 100 international wickets.
This is India’s fifth-largest victory in terms of runs (82) in T20Is. They will now be looking to seal the series when the two teams meet for the fifth and final game in Bangalore.
Image credit: IPL
