India Vs England 3rd ODI: India defeats England by seven runs to clinch the series 2-1

India outshines England in a thrilling 3rd and final ODI by 7 runs to clinch the series 2-1 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, on Sunday.

Image By: Asianet

Indian bowlers bowled superbly holding their nerves in the crucial moments as India outshined England in a thrilling 3rd and final ODI by 7 runs to clinch the series 2-1 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, on Sunday. Sam Curran, England's all-rounder, played one of the most outstanding knocks in this ODI under pressure and almost pulled off the visitors' series victory.

Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya's great performance with the bat helped India score a huge total of 329 runs after which the Indian bowlers also joined the party and kept English batsmen on the backfoot resisting them to score more runs. When everything was going India's way, Sam Curran took up the charge and played a superb knock giving India some nervy moments and it was clearly seen in their fielding as they dropped a couple of catches in the second-last over bowled by Hardik Pandya. T Natarajan, playing his first game of the series, bowled fabulously to defend 13 runs in the final over.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave India a solid start as he dismissed both the England openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow early in the game.

England's all-rounder and last match hero Ben Stokes failed to convert his start and got out for 35 runs. After his dismissal, Hardik Pandya was very much relieved as he folded his hands to thank Shikhar Dhawan for taking the catch of Stokes and to get a big load off his chest.

After that, England's stand-in captain Jos Buttler got out LBW after a successful review by the Indian captain Virat Kohli.

Dawid Malan and Liam Livingstone stitched a solid 60-run partnership to keep England alive in the game. Dawid Malan scored his first half-century in the ODI's while Liam Livingstone hammered 36 runs facing 31 balls. 

Shardul Thakur through his impressive performance dismissed both Dawid Malan and Liam Livingstone to give India the same momentum of commanding the game. Moeen Ali also made a small contribution of 29 runs in 25 balls but it was Sam Curran whose extraordinary performance helped him score his maiden ODI fifty to keep England in the hunt to win the series trophy.

Earlier, invited to bat first, India put on a fighting total on the board as Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya scored their respective half-centuries.

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan gave India a solid start, as they both together added 103 runs for the opening wicket. Rohit Sharma departed after scoring 37 runs, while Shikhar Dhawan carried on his great form and smashed another fifty of the series. Both Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma were dismissed by leg-spinner Adil Rashid in quick succession.

KL Rahul and King Kohli didn't score much as English spinners were on the attack. After that, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant continued to bat aggressively putting a 99-run stand for the 5th wicket.

Both Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant departed quickly in successions after which Shardul Thakur sent some deliveries across the boundary rope, which helped India score above 300 runs. Wickets kept falling in the death overs as India was bowled out for 329 runs in 48.2 overs.

Mark Wood took 3 wickets giving just 34 runs from his seven overs, while Adil Rashid gave away 81 runs in his 10-overs but took the crucial wickets of Indian openers.

The match was full of ups and downs, but eventually, India clinched the title to add a record to their name. Well, England didn't even win a single series in their tour.