NEW DELHI: India captain Shreyas Iyer refused to blame Ravi Bishnoi despite the expensive 17th over proving decisive in England’s four-wicket win in the second T20I at Old Trafford on Saturday.Chasing 191, England were riding an unbeaten 76 off Jacob Bethell reach the finish line with a spare over. The turning point came in the 17th over when Bishnoi posted 29 runs, allowing England to take complete control of the chase.
The over that changed the game
India appeared to be firmly in command after reducing England to 142/5 in 16 overs. But the game took a dramatic turn in the 17th over. Bishnoi started with a no-ball, which Bethell dispatched for a six off a free kick. The spinner then bowled another no-ball and Bethell continued the onslaught with another six, a four, another six, along with singles and doubles, taking 29 runs from the over.Although the over proved costly, Iyer stood by his young spinner after the match.“I think we all know where it went but I don’t want to pinpoint a particular player. I thought, OK, he will come back strong after that (first no-ball). But the 17th over haunted us. But he will learn,” Iyer said.
‘It was a phenomenal result’
The India skipper believed his side achieved the total on a demanding surface that offered uneven bounce.“I think it was a phenomenal result on this pitch with variable bounce. We were on top for the first 15 overs but all of a sudden – credit to the way Jacob bowled,” he added.Iyer credited Jacob Bethell for turning the tide of the chase with his aggressive batting. He also felt that England had assessed the conditions well before launching the attack.“Early on, they analyzed the dimensions of the ground and the passage,” he said.The Indian captain particularly praised the fearless mindset of the young England batsman.“He’s got that unflappable attitude where he’s fearless. The way he hits the nets … you can learn something from him. I didn’t expect him to be nervous.”Despite the disappointing loss, Iyer said the team will move on quickly and focus on the third T20I.“Absolutely, I’m always in a good mood and I know this is the lowest you can go,” he concluded.The third T20I of the five-match series will be played at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on July 7.
