Far from chokers: India cement themselves as big-game performers in T20 cricket

The Indian cricket team defeated England by 36 runs in the series decider to clinch the five-match series 3-2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.

Put into bat, India rode on captain Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 80 off 52 balls and Rohit Sharma’s swashbuckling 34-ball 64 to post a mammoth score of 224/2 in their 20 overs. It is India's highest T20 total against England.

In reply, the England cricket team could only manage 188/8 in their 20 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was adjudged the man of the match as he scalped two important wickets for just 15 runs, bowling 17 dot balls in a game where more than 400 runs were scored.

With this win, Team India recorded their third straight T20I series win against England. The series began with the visitors winning two of the first three matches, but the home team turned the tables and ran away with the last two games.

Thus, India continued their terrific record in T20 series deciders, winning nine of the 10 bilateral series-deciders -- involving three or more matches -- they have played since 2016. This includes two wins against England -- one at home in 2017 and the other away in 2018.

Interestingly, the only time Team India have lost in a bilateral series decider during this period was when they were beaten by New Zealand in a thriller at Hamilton.

Indian cricket team’s record in T20 series deciders

T20I series with three or more matches

*Series where India won the opening match. In the rest, India went down in the first match of the T20 series.

Feature image courtesy: BCCI