England secured a four-wicket victory over India in the second T20I at Old Trafford, successfully chasing down a 191-run target with an entire over to spare. The match was supposed to belong to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Instead, Jacob Bethell completely hijacked the narrative.
Bethell earned Player of the Match honors after brutalizing the Indian bowling attack. He smashed 76 runs off just 46 deliveries, racking up five boundaries and five sixes in a middle-order masterclass. That innings anchored the hosts’ successful pursuit of 191/6 in 19 overs, effectively sealing the match outcome after a washed-out series opener. Tom Banton and Harry Brook both chipped in with rapid 39-run cameos to keep the required run rate in check. Arshdeep Singh took three wickets for India, but it wasn’t enough to halt the English momentum.
Before Bethell took the crease, all eyes were strictly on the Indian dugout. Stepping onto the pitch at Old Trafford, Sooryavanshi officially shattered Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record to become India’s youngest international debutant. The teenager did not waste any time making his presence felt. He delivered a brief but highly aggressive 14-run cameo off just 10 balls, launching two sixes into the Manchester stands.
India batted first and posted a highly competitive 190/7 in their 20 overs. Ishan Kishan anchored the top of the order with 49 runs off 40 balls. Abhishek Sharma brought the fireworks, adding 43 off just 24 deliveries. But Sam Curran kept the visitors from running completely away with the game. Curran finished as the standout bowler for the hosts, bagging three wickets for 33 runs to restrict the total just enough for Bethell to pull off the chase.