India suffer record 125-run defeat in second T20I against England, remain winless on UK tour
India suffered their worst-ever T20I defeat on Tuesday, losing to England by 125 runs in Nottingham. Chasing a target of 202, India were bowled out for 76 in 11.4 overs, going 0-2 down in the three-match series under captain Shreyas Iyer. This is India’s fifth consecutive T20I loss without a win on the tour of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
England, after being put in to bat, posted 201 for 6 in 20 overs. Phil Salt (45) and Jos Buttler (30) provided a brisk start, while Jacob Bethell (38) and Tom Banton (42) added valuable runs lower down the order. For India, pacer Prince Yadav impressed with figures of 2 for 28, including the wicket of Buttler, while Varun Chakaravarthy took 2 for 34. Harshit Rana also picked up two wickets.
In reply, India’s batting collapsed. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored quickly but fell within the powerplay. Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue tore through the top order, leaving India reeling at 35 for 5 after 6 overs. The decision to send Harshit Rana at No. 7 ahead of Shivam Dube raised questions, but India never recovered. Archer finished with 3 for 15, while Tongue took 2 for 17.
This defeat marks the first time India have lost five T20Is in a row. With the new T20 World Cup cycle beginning, the team management faces questions about form and combinations. Prince Yadav’s performance was a bright spot, but India’s batting frailty remains a concern ahead of the series finale.
