Pacy comeback for India against England in second T20I

KL Rahul hits one to the ropes during his innings of 71 against England in the second T20 International in Nagpur yesterday. Right: Ashish Nehra celebrates after dismissing Sam Billings. Pic/AFP & AP

Nagpur: Fast bowler Ashish Nehra claimed three wickets as he combined with Jasprit Bumrah to choke the England batting and set up India's series levelling five-run win in the second Twenty20 International in Nagpur yesterday.

Chasing 145 for victory, England needed eight off the final over but Bumrah claimed two wickets and gave away just two runs to help the hosts level the three-match series at 1-1. Joe Root and Ben Stokes, with 38 each, almost took the game away from India narrowing the gap in the penultimate over, but Bumrah proved too good for the Englishmen here yesterday. The final match is slated in Bangalore on February 1.

Earlier, opener KL Rahul struck a breezy 71 on a difficult surface for batting as India managed a modest 144 for the loss of eight wickets. India lost three wickets in the last over, including that of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, to fall short of 150.

Rahul's 47-ball knock contained two sixes and six fours and his partnership of 56 with fellow Karnataka mate Manish Pandey (30 in 26 balls) was the only notable stand. The home team had a stuttering start after it was asked to take first strike on a slow VCA Stadium track in Jamtha. Wearing black armbands to mourn the sudden demise of India's under-19 and A team trainer Rajeev Sawant and the father of fast bowler Mohammed Shami who is not part of the squad, the home team batsmen failed to get going in earnest.

England surprised captain Virat Kohli and Rahul by using left-arm slow bowler Liam Dawson, who had replaced fast bowler Liam Plunkett in the XI in horses for courses change, to open the bowling with the Tymal Mills.