Ben Duckett. Pic Credits: X

IND vs ENG : Ben Duckett Upset With His Dismissal In 3rd T20I

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England are not ones for “reining it in” with the bat according to Ben Duckett, the opener defending his side’s six-hitting approach as they attempt to launch a comeback in the five-match Twenty20 international series against India. England opener Ben Duckett revealed how he overcame pressure to score a match-winning half century in the third T20I against India in Rajkot. Ben Duckett scored 51 (28) with the help of seven fours and two sixes.

The hosts lead 2-1 going in to the fourth match in Pune on Friday, England having secured their first win of the tour on Tuesday evening. A 26-run margin was a worthy achievement considering the visitors’ mixed bag of a first innings.

Ben Duckett’s 51 sets the base for England’s total of 172 vs India in the 3rd T20I.

England opener Ben Duckett admitted being under pressure ahead of his match-winning fifty in the third T20I against India at Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot. Ben Duckett played a marvelous knock of 51 (28) with the help of seven fours and two sixes in his innings and got his team off to a terrific start. He got involved in a massive 76-run stand off 45 balls with captain Jos Buttler for the second wicket as the duo helped England get into driver’s seat.

The old-world method after Jos Buttler was dismissed for 24 would have been to consolidate, spend the next few minutes knocking around the ones and twos, and keep it quiet while Harry Brook settled in. England were 83 for two, nine overs gone, a solid base set, Ben Duckett one away from his first half-century as an opener in T20 internationals.

Ben Duckett went the other way. Eyeing up a six off Axar Patel’s left-arm spin six balls later, Duckett did not find the middle, only the hands of Abhishek Sharma, a flurry of middle-order wickets following as England fell to 127 for eight with four overs remaining.

Ben Duckett was eventually dismissed by Axar Patel while trying to hit him towards long on, leaving England on 87/3. Courtesy of his innings, England managed to post a score of 171/9 in their allotted 20 overs, which eventually led to their 26-run win. Following his match-winning innings, Ben Duckett admitted being under pressure after registering a couple of low scores in the first two T20Is.

England batter Ben Duckett upset with his dismissal in IND vs ENG 2025 3rd T20I

England opener Ben Duckett regretted not taking down Axar Patel in the third T20I against India at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Tuesday. Ben Duckett reflected that he fancied his match-up with the left-arm spinner and feels he should have hit the ball for six that got him out.

The Nottinghamshire was the only England batter to get to a half-century in the third T20I, getting to the landmark only in 26 deliveries. However, he fell only a few balls later for 51, holing out to Abhishek Sharma at deep mid-wicket, causing England to lose the plot from that stage. The Englishmen still won by 26 runs in the end.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the fourth T20I in Pune, the southpaw said they don’t rein themselves in, no matter the situation. He thought to himself about missing out on a certain six. The 30-year-old said, as quoted by The Guardian:

“Two years ago, I would probably have been disappointed with myself how I got out, but me now, I’m thinking I missed out on six runs. I know what Axar does, I have faced him in Test cricket and it felt like my match-up. We speak about it a lot, we’d just lost a wicket but this side isn’t about reining it in.

“You saw what [Liam Livingstone] did after we lost two or three wickets, hitting three sixes. I was just disappointed I didn’t hit it – I won’t say 10 rows back, three rows back – because [Patel] was the guy I should have taken down.”

With the tourists sliding to 87/3 after Duckett’s wicket, it seemed England were heading for a score of 190 before that. Liam Livingstone’s cameo of 24-ball 43 was worth gold as it pushed their score to 171.

Duckett also lauded their head coach Brendon McCullum’s philosophy of going hard no matter the situation and is glad they stuck with it, adding:

“It’s a big moment for this team because it could have gone a different way. Credit to the guys for doing exactly what [Brendon McCullum] wants us to go and do. It’s to entertain. At times it’s not going to work, and that’s fine. But we could easily be 2-1 up in the series if things had gone a little bit better for us at the back end of the second game.”

With England having avoided rest and rotation with their quicks, a raft of changes in Pune seems unlikely with a series victory still possible. Jamie Smith may well make way for Jacob Bethell after leaving the field on Tuesday due to a tight calf.

One man who will surely feature for India is Varun Chakravarthy, the spinner having caused England all sorts with 10 wickets in three matches. He has climbed to fifth in the men’s T20I bowling rankings, but Adil Rashid, sublime in Rajkot with one for 15 off his four overs, sits at the top. England face another must-win situation in Pune on January 31.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: “Side Arm Specialists In India Need To Work Hard To Prepare Batters For Tough Times”- Abhishek Jain Gives His Invaluable Insights

 


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