All-rounder cuts loose
1-3 Runs
Four
Six
he held on. It still felt it was an exercise in saving face for England, as Curran rebuilt with Wood after Rashid’s dismissal, but belief slowly started to grow with each boundary.
Curran’s previous highest score in ODI cricket was just 15, but he earned an IPL deal in his first Test series by hitting India around lower down the order, so Virat Kohli’s side were aware of his threat.
He took 18 off Thakur’s last over to trim the target to 23 off the final three overs. Suddenly England thought they could win. That is the danger moment when batsmen chasing a miracle believe they can pull it off.
Kohli turned to his best bowler, Kumar, and despite two wides, he conceded only four off the over. The penultimate over by Pandya was chaotic. Pandya bowled well and desperate heaves by England resulted in top edges. Wood was dropped by Thakur at mid-on, and next ball Curran skewed an edge over long leg, where Natarajan fluffed another straightforward catch.
England needed 14 from six balls, with Curran on strike. Thirteen would have brought a super-over, and England like those. Curran drilled a first-ball yorker to long on and Wood was run out after he was sent back trying to turn a single into two.
Last man Topley did his job, getting Curran on strike first ball, but Natarajan gave him little to work with. England needed 12 off four and Natarajan missed a yorker, but Curran could not hit the six England needed.
In the end, Curran ran out of road and India conceded only one four in the final three overs. Remarkably, Curran has still not scored a hundred in professional cricket, but Buttler summed up why he is so highly valued.
“He is a real impact player. He still is only 22 and the scope where he can take his game to is massive. We are all excited.”