Fast bowlers Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer destroyed India in a massive 125-run loss to England at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, making it their worst-ever T20 loss in terms of runs.
Phil Salt scored 70 to help England reach 201-7, while India, the T20 world champions, fell to 76 all out in 12 overs, just surpassing the opening score.
Archer and Tongue were just too much for India to handle with both pacers reaching over 90 mph (145 kmph) on the speed gun and tearing through the tourists’ top order with the new ball.
With two games remaining in the series following the first game washout, England lead 2-0 thanks to Tongue’s career-best stats of 4-28 and Archer’s 3-29.
India’s previous record run-loss in a Twenty20 match, an 80-run loss against New Zealand at Wellington in 2019, was easily topped by Tuesday’s outcome.
Additionally, it came after India’s unexpected 0-2 series loss against Ireland in Belfast last month.
After hurrying young star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with a 90 mph (145 kmph) bouncer, Archer smiled when the 15-year-old managed to hit the following ball for six over gully.
It was one-way traffic after Tongue’s first three balls, two of which also went the distance.
Ishan Kishan found Jacob Bethell with a flat pull, Abhishek Sharma slashed to deep point, and Sooryavanshi gloved behind as he attempted to attack Archer’s next bouncer.
India were all but beaten at 52-5 in five overs after Archer removed Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel.
Before Tongue dismissed Shivam Dube and Harshit Rana on his home ground in Nottinghamshire with the help of Tom Banton’s diving grab at backward point, Tilak Varma was stumped off Will Jacks.
India, who won the toss, barely beat their lowest T20 score of 74 thanks to two late wickets from leg-spinner Adil Rashid.
Jos Buttler had earlier put England ahead with 36 before being bowled by an inswinging yorker from Prince Yadav.
After a slow start, Salt blasted multiple boundaries in an expensive over from Varun Chakravarthy. The opener hit three consecutive fours after unleashing a long hop for six.
In the 12th over, Rana dismissed Old Trafford matchwinner Bethell and Banton with successive deliveries.
However, Sam Curran’s 41 not out increased the score after Salt finished a 36-ball fifty and added two more sixes before cutting Patel to backward point.
If England win the fourth Twenty20 match at Bristol on Thursday, they can seal the series.
