England beat India by 26 runs in Rajkot T20I; series kept alive
England defeated India by 26 runs in the third T20I in Rajkot, defending 171/9 as India finished on 145/9. England’s bowlers, including Adil Rashid and the pace attack, did enough to overturn expectations that the total was under par and keep the series alive.
England produced a disciplined bowling performance to defeat India by 26 runs in a men’s T20 international in Rajkot, defending a total of 171/9 as India were restricted to 145/9 in 20 overs. ESPN’s match coverage shows England’s innings ended on 171 for 9, while India’s chase stalled at 145 for 9, sealing an away win that kept the contest alive.
In England’s innings, Ben Duckett top-scored with 51 off 28 balls, while Liam Livingstone added late momentum with 43 off 24, including a cluster of sixes that helped push the total beyond what many observers initially considered a par score. Despite a collapse in the middle overs, England managed to bat out the full 20 overs, which proved crucial in a game where India’s chase never found sustained rhythm.
India’s response began with pressure building early, and the chase remained behind the required rate as England’s bowlers mixed pace and lengths effectively. Adil Rashid’s control and variation were repeatedly highlighted as a turning point, while the quicks shared wickets to prevent India from lining up predictable hitting zones.
ESPN’s report notes that England’s pace-heavy approach, combined with Rashid’s spell, helped break India’s recent run of home dominance in the format. India lost wickets at intervals, and the task became increasingly steep once set batters were removed and the lower order was forced into high-risk strokes.
Hardik Pandya fought with 40, but the support around him was limited as England closed out the final overs with calm execution. India ended nine down, short of the target by a significant margin, and the match narrative was defined by England’s ability to defend a total that had looked slightly light during the break.
For India, the defeat will renew scrutiny of batting-order choices and match-ups used to manage England’s bowling changes. For England, it is a confidence-restoring result that underlines the value of combining high-quality wrist-spin with pace that can change speeds on slower surfaces.
With the series kept alive, attention will shift to selection calls, workload management for the pace group, and whether India adjust their approach against Rashid’s middle-overs control. The broader takeaway from Rajkot is that execution under pressure — not just totals on paper — decided the contest.