🏏England tour of India 2025: 5thT20I: 2/2/2025 at 7:00 PM IST🏏 - Page 2

Originally posted by: SoniRita

Suryakumar's India look to land one final blow on England. With the series already wrapped up, India's captain will be keen on marking his Mumbai homecoming with a big performance

The Wankhede contest was not to be a dead rubber. England were in the game till about the 35th over before they lost their way to surrender the match by 15 runs in Pune. It's going to be an antic-climatic end to what promised to be an exciting match - series as well - on Sunday.

England have made noise about the concussion substitute but more than Harshit Rana, who they allege was an unfair (not like for like) concussion replacement, it was their self-subversion rather than Rana's extra venom (extra pace as Jos Buttler would say) that brought about their downfall in Pune.

"No common sense - it doesn't make sense to me," Nick Knight, a former England opener, told Cricbuzz on Rana coming in place of Shivam Dube. But the former England opener, who is here as a commentator, blamed the Buttler side. "However, England were in a position to win the game regardless IMO (in my opinion)."

Even Buttler conceded his side should have won the game. "We're disappointed. I thought we did a lot of things really well: the early wickets set them back and we were in a great position in the powerplay. We got in positions to win the game and it's disappointing that we didn't." The England skipper was livid; he was honest too.

It now appears England have moved on; as one presumes India would too. With the series done and dusted, it is likely that would bring in the bench. It could be an important contest for Mohammed Shami, who has played just one of the four games so far. Bowling coach Morne Morkel hinted that the veteran pacer will come into the mix at the Wankhede.

"Shami has been bowling really well. You know, catching to him at warm-ups, (the ball) is really hitting the glove hard. So, (we're) very happy with how he's coming along. You know, he's probably going to get an opportunity in the next game. We'll see how things go. But, yeah, (we're) excited to have him back in the group," Morkel said.

Shami not playing more games in the series was apparently not a surprise. He was picked so that he could be with the physios and trainers and prepare well for the more challenging ODIs and the Champions Trophy assignment. All eyes will be on him just as on the off-colour duo of Sanju Samson and India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who would be hoping the familiar home conditions will bring his 360 degree play to the fore.

360 ka 180 chal raha hai. Jo chahta hai uske ulta hota hai 🤡

Thank you, Soni, for the thread and for tagging me.

I want to see a thrilling match today.

Aaj England ne concussion rule use kar liya to maja aa jaayega

What is the need for this series with CT so close by? We are T20 champions, we don't need to play IDFC bilaterals before ICC tournaments. Not even the same format. Gosh let people enjoy Ranji or something. The t20 oversaturation is beyond annoying.

Originally posted by: SlatePencil

Aaj England ne concussion rule use kar liya to maja aa jaayega

Better than suffering in an important match

Welcome to our live coverage of the fifth and final T20I of this series. India have already won the series as they lead by a 3-1 margin, and today is a chance to present opportunities to the players on the bench. England have been pretty mediocre on this tour so far, and the visitors will need a special performance tonight to uplift themselves before we head into the ODIs. India's middle-order has put up some fine performances over the last week and a half, but Sanju Samson has struggled throughout. Archer has troubled the opener on several occasions, so it would be interesting to watch out for their battle once again. India's bowling has been top notch and the hosts will be looking forward to replicating the same tonight. Do we see a better effort from the England batters or will they continue to disappoint the England fans? We shall find out soon, stay around for the toss and teams..

England were left seething and fuming at the end of the fourth T20I, largely due to Harshit Rana being allowed in as a concussion substitute to Shivam Dube. However, they would also have known that it was a match that they let slip out of their hands quite spectacularly. They may have lost the series but India would know that the wounded English side would be raring to have a go at them once again at the Wankhede Stadium

Both sides have fought tooth and nail throughout this series and so it is a bit of a bummer that it has been decided already before the last match. However, England were a wounded side at the end of the epic fourth T20I and one can expect them to give India a big shock if the hosts let their guards down. .

At the same time, one can expect a host of changes for India with this being the last T20I before they go on a run of ODI matches that includes the Champions Trophy. Harshit Rana was a standout in Pune and it won't be much of a surprise if he gets a starting spot. Shivam Dube was also sensational and he is set to be a shoo-in if he is fit.

Pandya and Dube put up a partnership of 87 runs off just 45 balls for the sixth wicket. The former eventually fell on 53 off 34 balls while Dube finished unbeaten on 50 off 30 balls. The big fast-bowling all-rounders helped India avoid collapsing for an embarassing total and get to a score of 181/9, the highest by any team in this series thus far.

But England seemed to have been put in cruise mode once again by their openers Ben Duckett and Phil Salt, who blasted an opening partnership of 62 runs in the powerplay before the former fell to Ravi Bishnoi off the last ball of the sixth over. This was followed by Axar dismissing Salt and Bishnoi getting the big wicket of Jos Buttler. England are chasing a target of 182.

Scenes in Mumbai

https://x.com/i/status/1886024878165495857