Buttler guides England to victory
JOS Buttler and Virat Kohli traded brilliant innings in Ahmedabad, but it was the Englishman who came out on top as the tourists reclaimed the initiative in their Twenty20 series against India.
Buttler’s career-best 83 not out was the match-winning knock in an eight-wicket success, putting his side 2-1 up after three matches and seemingly settling any question about his best role in the team.
He made his name as a ‘finisher’ and is now used in the middle order by Rajasthan Royals, but England are convinced he should open the batting and, by taking a chase of 157 by the scruff of the neck and refusing to let go, he made good on that.
With four sixes and five fours, Buttler was at his considerable best throughout his 52-ball stay and may well have reeled in a maiden century had Jonny Bairstow not joined in with a lively unbeaten 40 at the end.
England would have been chasing much less had it not been for Kohli’s latest classic knock of 77 not out, which powered India’s score from 87 for five after 15 overs. Having scored 28 off his first 29 balls, the captain blitzed 49 off the next 17.
England had started with a near perfect powerplay, restricting India to just 24 runs while also picking off the top three.
Kohli and Ishan Kishan shared a match-winning stand of 94 in the previous game, but the latter could not build on his eye-catching debut as he top-edged a pull straight over his own head and into Buttler’s gloves.
Pant was easily run out by Sam Curra, but Kohli accelerated with ridiculous ease, finishing with four sixes and eight fours. India’s 156 for six still looked light but without Kohli it would have been laughable.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur got the new ball swinging well enough to keep the score down to 16 from the first three overs, before the introduction of Yuzvendra Chahal advanced the tale.
Buttler welcomed him with a big six down the ground and added another mighty blow before the over was done, but in between Chahal had the in-form Jason Roy caught off a mis-hit reverse sweep.
The format’s number-one batsman, Dawid Malan, was almost a spare part until he was stumped for a slow-going 18, while Buttler raced to 50 in just 26 deliveries.
He offered his first chance on 76, put down by Kohli, and was soon into personal-best territory. Bairstow’s arrival eased the burden, with the Yorkshireman helping himself to five boundaries, including the winning runs with 10 balls remaining, while Buttler carried his bat.