England has unveiled its squad for the third T20 match against India, which is scheduled to take place today at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. The match will kick off at 7 PM IST. England has decided to stick with the same playing XI that featured in the second T20.
In the second T20, England made two changes to their lineup by introducing Brydon Carse and Jamie Smith, both of whom made their T20 international debuts. Carse impressed with an all-round performance, scoring 31 runs off 17 balls and taking three wickets. Smith also contributed with a quickfire 22 runs off 12 balls. Both players replaced Gus Atkinson and Jacob Bethell in the squad for that match.
“We are trailing in the series, and we are aiming to make a strong comeback. That’s why we’ve decided to retain the team that delivered a solid performance in the second T20,” England stated in their announcement for the third T20.
England captain Jos Buttler expressed satisfaction with his team's performance in the second T20, where they came very close to victory. However, he acknowledged Tilak Varma’s brilliant knock, which shifted the momentum in India’s favor. Buttler also praised debutants Brydon Carse and Jamie Smith for their impactful performances. He further emphasized that England is determined to win the third T20 and make a comeback in the series.
India currently leads the five-match T20 series 2-0 after winning the first two matches. In the first T20, Abhishek Sharma’s 79-run performance was crucial to India’s victory. In the second match, Tilak Varma’s match-winning 72 runs guided India to success. India will look to seal the series with a win in today's match.