2nd T20I: India thrash England by 7 wickets to level series

Chasing a 165 runs target, India didn't get off to a good start as they lost opener KL Rahul in the very first over of their innings. However, a 94-run second-wicket partnership between Ishan Kishan (56) and Virat Kohli (73 not out) brought India back in the game.

Ahmedabad: India bounced back in the twenty 20 series with a thumping seven-wicket win over England in the second match here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. India won the match with 13 balls to spare.

Chasing a 165 runs target, India didn't get off to a good start as they lost opener KL Rahul in the very first over of their innings.

However, a 94-run second-wicket partnership between Ishan Kishan (56) and Virat Kohli (73 not out) brought India back in the game.

Kishan, who was playing his first international for India, hit four sixes and five boundaries to register his maiden half-century. Kohli, on the other hand, finally got back to form after a series of poor performances. He remained unbeaten on 73.

Kohli smashed three sixes and five boundaries. After Pant (26) departed playing a crucial innings, India were well on the bank of victory. As Shreyas Iyer walked in the middle, Kohli finished things in style in the 18th over.

Earlier, tight spells from Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar helped India restrict England to 164 for 6 at the end of 20 overs.

After being asked to bat first, England got off a disastrous start as Jos Buttler got out for nought in the third delivery of the first over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

England, however, made a quick recovery riding on a 63-run second-wicket partnership between Jason Roy (46) and Dawid Malan (24).

As Yuzvendra Chahal breached the partnership trapping Malan in front in the second ball of the ninth over, England's innings slowed down.

Roy's dismissal in the 12th over further damaged their tempo when Sundar got the prized scalp.

But England, who were lucky today as Indian fielders have put up a sloppy performance, managed to set up a 165 runs target for the hosts with captain Eoin Morgan (28), Ben Stokes (24) and Jonny Bairstow (20) adding some crucial runs to the innings total.

Among the Indian bowlers, Thakur and Sundar picked up two wickets while Bhuvneshwar and Chahal got one each, respectively.

The third T20I is scheduled for March 16 in Ahmedabad.