England produced a commanding all-round display to defeat India by 75 runs in the second T20 international in Chennai, levelling the five-match series at 1-1. After losing the opener, the visitors bounced back emphatically, thanks to a blistering century from opener Phil Salt and disciplined bowling that restricted India to 152 for 9.
Salt's Century Sets Platform
Phil Salt smashed 119 off 56 balls, his second T20 international hundred, to propel England to 227 for 5 after being put in to bat. Salt's innings included 12 fours and 7 sixes, as he dominated India's bowling attack. He added 112 for the first wicket with Jos Buttler (38 off 28) and later shared a quickfire 64-run stand with Liam Livingstone (28 off 14). India's bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught, with Axar Patel the pick of the attack, taking 2 for 38.
Bowling Attack Strikes Early
In reply, India's chase never gained momentum as England's bowlers struck early. Reece Topley removed both openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal (8) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (2), inside the first four overs. Adil Rashid then spun a web, taking 3 for 15 in his four overs, including the key wicket of Tilak Varma (42 off 31). Jofra Archer and Sam Curran also chipped in with two wickets each as India's batting collapsed, with only Varma and Hardik Pandya (31 off 23) offering resistance.
Series Level with Three to Play
The win ends England's four-match losing streak in T20s and sets up an intriguing series. The third T20 will be played in Rajkot on July 9. "It was a complete performance," said England captain Jos Buttler. "Phil's innings was world-class, and the bowlers executed their plans perfectly." India's captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted his side were outplayed: "We were not good enough with the ball or the bat. We need to regroup quickly."
