India beat England to seal T20 cricket series as sub Rana vexes Buttler
India survive late England rally after a mini-collapse of their own to seal five-match series with a game to spare.
Harshit Rana has claimed three wickets in his debatable appearance as a concussion substitute to help India to a series-clinching, 15-run victory against England in the fourth T20 International.
India overcame Saqib Mahmood’s three-wicket burst on Friday to post a competitive 181-9 after half-centuries by Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.
England were 166 all out with two deliveries left in their innings as India grabbed an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
All-rounder Dube was hit on the helmet by a Jamie Overton bouncer, and seamer Rana replaced him despite it not being a like-for-like replacement as concussion substitute rules mandate.
“When Dube came back two overs into the chase, I was told [about being the concussion substitute],” Rana told broadcasters. “I have been waiting for this moment to prove myself,” he said of his “dream debut”.
England captain Jos Buttler was less impressed, however.
“It’s not a like-for-like replacement. We don’t agree with that,” Buttler told reporters after the game. “Dube has either put on 25 miles per hour [40 kilometres per hour] with the ball or Harshit Rana has really improved his batting.
“I still think we should have gone on to win the match, but we disagree with the decision.”
England fast bowler Saqib also impressed on his debut as he began with a three-wicket maiden over to rattle India at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium.
India opener Sanju Samson fluffed his pull shot, number three Tilak Varma perished at deep third leg and captain Suryakumar Yadav was caught at short mid-on, prolonging his lean patch in the series.
Abhishek