Jacob Bethell spoils 15yo Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's big day, as England edge India

By Neil Squires, Reuters

Jacob Bethell guided England to an impressive four-wicket victory in the second T20 against India, as 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his eagerly-awaited debut at Old Trafford.

Sooryavanshi, the leading run scorer in the Indian Premier League this season, hit two sixes in a 10-ball 14, but Bethell stole the show, as England chased down a victory target of 191 with an over to spare.

Bethell, 22, hit a thunderous unbeaten 76 from 46 balls, including five sixes, after Sam Curran had restricted India with 3/33, his best figures in England in a T20 international.

"You want to do well against the best teams in the world and it's really pleasing to do so," said Bethell.

"In those kind of chases, you're not going rapid all the time, but a couple of big overs can change the game. It worked out well in the end."

Old Trafford was chosen as the stage for Sooryavanshi's unveiling in place of Sanju Samson, as he became India's youngest cricketer at 15 years 99 days, breaking the record of Sachin Tendulkar.

His first two balls from Josh Tongue, making his T20 debut for England, beat him outside the off-stump and the third went for four wides down the leg side. His first run in international cricket came off the next ball, via a thick inside edge.

Next up came the challenge of facing the recalled Jofra Archer on a quick, bouncy surface. He met it by getting down on one knee and helping Archer over fine-leg for six.

There was another six from the first ball of Tongue's next over, as he hoisted a length ball into the crowd on the legside with a terrific pick-up.

England captain Harry Brook turned to the spin of Will Jacks and that proved Sooryavanshi's undoing. Advancing down the wicket to try to put Jacks over the offside, he was beaten and England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler whipped off the bails to stump him, as he fell to the ground, attempting to get back into his crease.

The lefthander had at least played his part in an opening stand of 50 in 4.5 overs with Abhishek Sharma, who went on to make 43 from 24 balls.

Kishan Ishan topscored with 49 for India, with captain Shreyas Iyer making 37, while Tilak Varma provided a late kick to the innings with 24 off 11 balls, including successive sixes off Archer. India reached 190/7 in their 20 overs.

Arshdeep Singh got India away to a dream start with the ball, removing both England's openers for ducks in the first over. Phil Salt edged the first ball of the innings to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and Buttler clipped a delivery to mid-wicket, where Varun Chakravarthy clung on to a sharp catch.

Brook took the attack to India, hitting Arshdeep for three sixes in his next over, but was caught behind down the legside off his glove, sweeping Axar Patel on review for 39 off 15 balls. It was Axar's 100th T20 wicket for India and he went on to post impressive figures of 1/20 off his four overs.

Arshdeep returned later to break a dangerous partnership between Tom Banton and Bethell, with Banton holing out at deep extra cover.

Bethell turned the game by hitting Ravi Bishnoi with sixes off free hits from two back-foot no balls from the leg spinner. The 17th over went for 29 and from there, England made it home, despite the loss of Curran to a catch in the deep by Sooryavanshi.

"The 17th over back-to-back [free hits] haunted us a bit.," said Iyer. "Definitely he's got to learn.

"The first 15 overs, we were on top of the game, but credit where it's due, I think Jacob was sensational."

The third game in the five-match series takes place at Trent Bridge on Wednesday (NZT).

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