A 94-run partnership between debutant Ishan Kishan and skipper Virat Kohli helped India chase the 165-run target pretty comfortably in the second T20I against England as the hosts levelled the series 1-1 after the loss in the first game. Kohli remained unbeaten on 73 off just 49 balls as India finished the game with 13 balls to spare as they won the match by seven wickets.
India didn't have a great start to their batting innings as they the wicket of opener KL Rahul on the last ball of the first over as Sam Curran bowled a wicket-maiden. But, England's joy was limited to that over for the rest of the game as Ishan Kishan and Kohli took apart the England attack.
Kishan's fearless approach from the outset meant he kept going after the bowlers and the target started looking very small and achievable. His counterattack helped Kohli to settle down and take his time and wait for the deliveries to hit.
Kishan brought up his half-century in just 28 balls as he became the second Indian batsman to hit a fifty on his T20I debut. While he couldn't continue for long, Virat Kohli had got set himself by then and as Kishan went another explosive powerhouse in Rishabh Pant came to the middle. Pant, too started hitting from the first ball as he finished whatever was left in the game.
Pant got out after hitting a couple of lusty blows but the skipper remained on the crease till the end to win it for his side. Kohli, thereby became the first men cricketer to reach 3000 runs in T20I cricket as India finished the game in 17.5 overs.
Earlier, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar and smart bowling from all the Indian bowlers especially in the latter half of England's innings helped India restrict them to 164 despite a 46-run knock by Jason Roy and some useful contributions from the middle-order down the line.
