Media365
NEW DELHI: Harshit Rana made a memorable entry into international cricket, delivering a match-winning spell of 3-33 on his T20I debut as India secured a 15-run victory over England in the fourth T20I at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Friday night. The victory gave India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
Rana’s dramatic introduction as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube proved decisive, as he dismantled England’s middle and lower order just when the visitors appeared to be regaining momentum in their chase of 182.
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“It is still a dream debut for me,” said an elated Rana after the match. “When Dube came back, after two overs I was informed I would be the concussion substitute. It is not just for this series; I have been waiting for an opportunity for a long time, and I wanted to prove I belong here. I have bowled well in the IPL and was just following the same here.”
Earlier in the game, England’s Saqib Mahmood stunned India with a historic triple-wicket maiden, the first-ever in men’s T20 internationals. He dismissed Sanju Samson (1), Tilak Varma (0), and Suryakumar Yadav (0) in quick succession, leaving India reeling at 12/3 within two overs. However, Hardik Pandya (53) and Shivam Dube (53) rebuilt the innings with a crucial 88-run stand, helping India post a competitive 181/9.
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India then bowled out England for 166 despite the visitors making a strong start to their chase. England openers put on 62 runs inside powerplay, before Indian bowlers clawed back with regular wickets. Apart from Rana, Ravi Bishnoi returned figures of 3 for 28, while Varun Chakaravarthy took two wickets for 28 runs.
With this win, India secured the series 3-1, heading into the final T20I at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with the series already in the bag. For Harshit Rana, it was not just a debut but the realisation of a long-cherished dream.
