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Cricket Players‘We all know where we went wrong’: Shreyas Iyer minces no words after India lose third game under his captaincy
Shreyas Iyer was understandably disappointed as India slumped to their third defeat under his captaincy
On an early evening in Manchester, India looked well on course for their first T20I win of the summer and a maiden victory under new captain Shreyas Iyer. Opting to bat first on a ground where England had piled up 304 for two in their previous T20I, the visitors recovered from a sluggish start to post 190 for seven, a total that looked more than competitive when England slipped to 133 for five in the 16th over, still needing 58 runs.
But that was when Jacob Bethell turned the game on its head. The England batter smashed 29 runs in a single over from Ravi Bishnoi, swinging the momentum decisively in the hosts' favour before England completed the chase with an over to spare.
Iyer was understandably disappointed as India slumped to their third defeat under his captaincy in a match they had controlled for long periods. Yet, despite the costly over, he refused to single out Bishnoi for the four-wicket loss in the second T20I of the five-match series.
"I think we all know where it went away, but I don't want to pinpoint any particular player. The way we were cruising until the 15th over, I think we were doing exceptionally well. And then suddenly the momentum shifted towards them, and from there on, I felt it was a cakewalk for them," he told former England captain Nasser Hussain during the post-match presentation.
Although Iyer avoided naming anyone, the reference was seemingly towards Bishnoi's expensive 17th over, which included three sixes and two no-balls.
The over also entered the record books. The 29 runs conceded are the third-most by an Indian bowler in a single over in men's T20Is, behind the 34 given away by Shivam Dube against New Zealand in 2020 and the 32 conceded by Stuart Binny against the West Indies in 2016.
Sensing the obvious, Hussain pressed Iyer specifically about Bishnoi's spell, but the India captain chose to back the young leg-spinner.
"I think one no-ball, I felt he'll come back stronger. Then the game got away in the 17th over... he'll have to learn. It was a phenomenal score on this track. Tilak's phenomenal 24 not out in the final over helped us. But we also have to give credit where it's due. Watching Bethell, he definitely took on the bowlers," Iyer said.
Bishnoi had overstepped three times in the innings. The first came off the opening ball of his spell in the fourth over, when Bethell punished the ensuing free hit for a boundary. He eventually finished with figures of 0 for 60 from his four overs.
India will now look to bounce back when they face England in the third T20I at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.
