That’s all we have for you today. Thank you so much for joining us. We will be back with the live coverage India’s next warm-up game on Wednesday, October 20, against Australia. We hope to see you there. Until then, it’s goodnight. CIAO!

Some performance from the Indian team. Shami was the shining star with the ball along with Bumrah and Ashwin’s economic spell.

Kishan, in the absence of Rohit Sharma, and Rahul had a great hit out in the centre at the top. They took a liking to every English bowler.

So, to sum it up.

IND (192-3 in 19 overs) beat England (188/5 in 20 overs) by 6 wickets

India have beaten England with 6 balls and 6 wickets to spare

FOUR! Wide and full from Jordan. Pandya, presenting the full face of the bat, hit it along the ground through deep cover for 4! SHOT!

NO-BALL! 4 RUNS AND A FREE-HIT! So much happened here. It was a wide, above-the-waist no ball that Buttler failed to collect.

FREE-HIT! EDGED AND FOUR! He throws the kitchen sink at the wide yorker and the ball flies over short third man for 4

NO-BALL! AND A SINGLE! 3 REQUIRED OFF 7 BALLS

FREE-HIT! SIX! OVER DEEP SQUARE LEG AND PANT FINISHES IT OFF I STYLE

FOUR! Suryakumar Yadav flicks David Willey behind square leg for 4.

OUT! A slowee bouncer from Willey and SKY looked to upper cut it over the keeper but he ends up nicking it to Buttler.

IND are 168/3 after 17.3 overs.

FOUR! After conceding three singles, Woakes goes short and Pant pulls it well enough to find through deep mid-wicket.

IND are 163/2 in 17 overs, need 26 from 18 balls.

India need 35 runs to win from 24 balls.

Right then. After 70 off 46, Ishan Kishan has decided to walk off.

Suryakumar Yadav is the next batter in.

IND are 154/2 after 16 overs.

DROPPED AND INJURED! Kishan flicks one to deep mid-wicket and Liam Livingstone drops a sitter. However, he injured his finger and has walked off

FOUR! Full and wide from Woakes, Ishan Kishan uses the depth of the crease to tonk over it extra cover for 4.

IND are 148/2 after 15 overs, need 41 from 30 balls.

SIX! Comes down the track, loses his shape, one hand comes off the bat and yet, he clears the long off boundary

SIX! He goes down the track again and this time, he keeps his shape and he hit it off the middle off the bat and onto the football field adjacent to the ground. NEW BALLS, PLEASE!

IND ARE 140/2 AFTER 14 OVERS

OUT! Kohli departs on 11 as he is caught at point. Charges down the track, beaten by the flight and his big heave balloons off the edge and is easily puched by Adil Rashid. Went too hard at it and lost his shape.

IND are 126/3 after 13 overs, need 63 from 42 balls.

Rishabh Pant is the new man in

SIX! Down the track, get to the pitch of the ball and hoick it well over deep mid-wicket for 6. Ishan Kishan is now into the 40s.

SIX! FIFTY! Make that into the 50s. WHAT A WAY TO GET TO HIS 50. A tad wide outside off from Rashid. Kishan charges down and tonks the ball over long off for 6.

FOUR! He shouted “two, two” as soon as he punched it off the backfoot but he gt more than he bargained for. The outfield is lightning quick and he collects four more in the cow corner region.

FOUR! Another drag down and Kishan slaps the ball off the backfoot through deep mid-wicket for 4

IND are 123/1 after 1 overs

FOUR! A proper, proper half-tracker from Liam Livingstone and Ishan Kishan hops onto the backfoot and smacks it through deep mid-wicket for 4.

IND are 99/1 after 11 overs

HALFWAY STAGE! INDIA ARE 92/1, NEEDING 97 RUNS TO WIN FROM 60 BALLS.

FOUR! FIFTY! A super sensational knock from KL Rahul. Full and wide from Wood and he lofts the ball over extra cover for 4

OUT! In the air and gone. He looks to go inside out again but this time, the bat turns in his hand and is caught at long off by Moeen Ali.

Virat Kohli is the new man in. 
IND are 85/1 after 9 overs.

Right, spin from both ends.

A very good over, best of England’s innings so far. 5 from it.

IND are 78/0 after 8 overs.

Moeen Ali is introduced into the attack

FOUR! Short from Moeen, Rahul rocked onto the back foot and creamed it to the cow-corner boundary.

SIX! Another drag down from Moeen Ali and Rahul hopped onto the back foot and sent the ball out of the park over deep square leg.

India are 73/0 after 7 overs.

FIFTY UP! Rahul’s single brings up the team’s 50 and also their 50-run stand!

SIX! WOW! Just WOW! That is a sensational hit over long on for six. Hard length from Rahul and there is no shot he can’t play currently.

IND are 59/0 after 6 overs.

FOUR! Mark Wood is introduced into the attack and first up, he offers a gift to Ishan Kishan in the form of a rank half volley. The Jharkhand youngster smashes the ball past the umpire for 4.

SIX! MY GOODNESS! THIS LITTLE MAN PACKS A MASSIVE PUNCH. Wood now comes in form around the wickets and bowls a bouncer. Fearless Kishan pulls the ball well over the dep mid-wicket boundary for 6.

FOUR! He changes his angles by coming from over the wicket, does Mark Wood but it makes no difference as Kishan pulls him for 4.

16 off it. IND are 49/0 after 5 overs.

FOUR! He doesn’t break a sweat here. Half-tracker from Woakes, he stays puts, turns and guides the ball past backward square leg.

FOUR! Righ, then! KL Rahul is beginning feel comfortable and he is just hitting Woakes all around the park with classy shots. A good length ball and pitched near the off stump. Absolutely nothing with the ball yet Rahul manages to play through the line and just chip it over mid-off for 4

SIX! Pace off from Woakes. He reads it alright. Gets low and he flicks it off his pads over deep square leg. THAT’S A MASSIVE HIT!

FOUR! Full toss by Woakes on Rahul’s pads and Rahul, in present form, nonchalantly flicks it behind square for 4.

IND are 33/0 after 4 overs.

DROPPED! Ishan Kishan receives an early life as he is dropped by Chris Woakes at mid-on. Full and straight from Willey and Kishan plays the helicopter shot. But he isn’t able to time and the ball stays low. Woakes does well to get ahead and low on time but fails to hang on.

IND are 15/0 after 3 overs

All-rounder Chris Woakes is sharing the new ball.

FOUR! Short and wide from Chris Woakes. Kishan, on the backfoot, slashes the ball through the cover-point region for 4.

IND are 13/0 after 2 overs.

FOUR! Short and dragged down Rahul pads from Willey. The class of KL allows him to roll his wrists and flick it past short fine leg for 4.

IND are 8/0 after 1 over.

Welcome back. Indian openers KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan are walking out to bat. David Willey is opening England’s attack. 
India need 189 runs to win from 120 balls.

Jonny Bairstow (ENG)- 49 off 36

Moeen Ali (ENG)- 43* off 20

Mohammed Shami (IND)- 3/40 in 4 overs

Jasprit Bumrah (IND)- 1/26 in 4 overs

A very good innings from England’s perspectives.

19.1 — Wide

19.1 — DOT

19.2 — 2 runs

19.3 — 2 runs

19.4 — EDGED AND FOUR!

19.5 — SIX! low full toss, Ali scoops it over backward point for 6

19.6 — SIX! Into the slot, Moeen Ali goes downtown and for a six over long off

BOWLED HIM! THAT WAS UNPLAYABLE AND INDIA NEEDED A DELIVERY LIKE THAT TO DISMISSES AN IN-FORM BAIRSTOW. He’s gone for 49 off 36.

ENG are 167/5 in 19 overs.

Chris Woakes is the new batsman in

FOUR! Into slot from Shami and Moeen Ali, being in the fine form he is, is able to tonk the ball through cover for 4.

FOUR! Two on the trot from Moeen Ali and he is ruining Shami’s figures here. The room for error on this track is so small that it allows the batter to free his arms for 4.

ENG are 161/4 after 18 overs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is still unable to find consistency.

FOUR! After bowling 2 wides, he is hit for a 4 over cover by Moeen Ali.

ENG are 149/4 in 17 overs.

FOUR! What a shot! Bairstow looks in superb touch. On this pitch, the room for error is so small. A tad wide from Bumrah and it allows Bairstow to open up his arms and time the ball through point for 4.

ENG are 137/4 after 16 overs.

Bringing back Shami before the 16th/17th over only means Kohli now wants wickets.

SIX! But the way these are going about their business, it could be hard to come bny. Into the slot around middle and leg stump from Shami, Bairstow makes room and tonks ball over long for 6.

WITH THAT 6, THEY ALSO BRING UP THE 50-RUN STAND

OUT! BOWLED HIM! Almost call to action stuff from Shami. Bowls a menacing yorker and cleans up Livingstone on 30. Breaks the 52-run stand. 

ENG are 130/4 after 15 overs. Moeen Ali is the new man in

SIX! FOUR! FOUR! Livingstone smashes Chahar all over the park as the duo score 17 from Chahal’s final over. He finishes with 1/43 in 4 overs.

ENG are 118/3 after 14 overs.

FOUR! Dragged short and wide outside off from Ashwin. Bairstow, who had already committed to the reverse sweep, is able to place it past short third man for 4.

100 UP FOR ENGLAND

ENG ARE 101/3 AFTER 13 OVERS

FOUR! On the previous ball, Livingstone charged down chipped one in the air but the ball fell in no man’s land. Next ball, he stays put, and with it being full and wide, he scooped it over extra cover for 4.

FOUR! That’s a gift from Chahar. A really freeby. He drags one very short and down the leg side. Liam just lofts the ball through deep backward square leg for 4.

ENG are 93/3 after 12 overs.

Jonny Bairstow (21*) holds key as England are 81/3

GONE! BOWLED HIM! This time, Chahur gets one on Malan. Once again, Malan backs away to make room. He looks to go inside out over cover but Chahar outfoxes him by bowling the googly and disturbing his off stump.

He is gone for 18.

ENG are 77/3 after 9.2 overs

Liam Livingstone is the new batter in

At last, a tidy, economical over from India as Ashwin concedes just 5.

ENG are 76/2 after 9 overs.

FOUR! Bairstow thumps the ball over the umpire’s head for 4. Into the slot and Bairstow wasn’t going to miss out on that

FOUR! Once again, its floated from Chahar. This time, Bairstow clears his front leg and goes inside out over cover for 4.

12 off the over. ENG are 71/2 after 8 overs.

FOUR! WOW! THAT IS JUST DEAD GORGEOUS FROM MALAN! Tossed up from Ashwin, Malan backs away to make room and then timed the ball over extra cover for 4. He held his pose there, suggesting it was pure timing and that he didn’t try to overhit it.

ENG are 59/2 after 7 overs.

R Ashwin, turning up India in a T20 game after a long time. He’s introduced into the attack.

ENG are 51/2 after 6 overs.

OUT! Shami gets a second wicket. He bowls the hard length and Roy swivels across and looks to chip it over the short fine leg fielder. However, he ends up holing out to Bumrah at the edge of the circle.

He’s gone for 17.

ENG are 47/2 after 5.3 overs.

EDGED AND FOUR! Coming from over the wicket, Bumrah angles the ball away from left-hander Dawid Malan and he rushes him into the shot. The ball flies off the edge, keeps low and skids past Rishabh Pant for 4.

FOUR! This will be an expensive over in the end. Change of pace from Bumrah, Malan picks it up, waits on it and then times the cover drive into the gap for 4.

ENG ARE 45/1 AFTER 5 OVERS.

FOUR! A ramp shot from Buttler through fine leg for 4. What a warm welcome to Shami

FOUR! Oh, wow! This is as good as Buttler has batted in a while. A rank half-volley from Shami and Buttler, ever so effortlessly, straight drives the ball back past the bowler for 4. Gorgeous

OUT! BOWLED HIM! TOP OF OFF FROM SHAMI. Buttler is gone for 18 off 13 balls. A peach of delivery that beat Buttler all ends up.

ENG are 36/1 after 3.4 overs.

Dawid Malan is the new batter in. 

FOUR! SRH vs SRH and the batter wins this battle. Jason Roy charges down the track and he makes room and tonks the ball over mid-on with a straight bat.

NO- BALL! A huge no ball from Bhuvi, doesn’t bowl too many.

FREE-HIT! But he nails a brilliant yorker to Buttler, who can only dig the ball for a single.

FOUR! He’s difficult to contain, is Roy. Short of a good length from Bhuvi. Roy shuffles across the off stump and he ramps it through fine leg for 4.

ENG are 27/0 after 3 overs.

Ashwin, Shami, Rahul Chahar are on the field.

Varun Chakaravarthy and Rohit Sharma seem to be missing as well

So, we have not been able to spot Ravindra Jadeja yet on the field. Ishan Kishan is present and so is SKY at point to Bumrah.

7 off the second. ENG are 14/0 after 2 overs.

THREE RUNS! A gentle loosener on the pads from Bhuvneshwar first up, Roy clips it through deep square leg for a triple.

FOUR! Lots of movement for Bhuvi on the outswinger but since it’s pitched outside wide, Buttler just runs his hands through the ball and creams it through cover for 4.

ENG are 7/0 after 1 over.

England’s Jason Roy and Joss Buttler have walked out to open.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar opens the attack.

IN INDIA’S NEW KITS, LET’S PLAY!

“Now that the sun has gone down, it should skid on a bit more. West Indies batted a bit slow, Pakistan did show that the wicket is getting better. Should be more runs than the first game.”

-Reckon Dale Steyn and Deep Dasgupta in the Pitch Report

1) YUZVENDRA CHAHAL – 12

2) HARDIK PANDYA– 9

3) HARBHAJAN SINGH– 8

1) VIRAT KOHLI- 17 matches, 577 runs

2) ROHIT SHARMA- 11 matches, 317 runs

3) MS DHONI – 14 matches, 296 runs

Jos Buttler (C), Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

“Everyone is excited. Good to get together. Obviously, he (Morgan) is having a rest after those weeks in the IPL. Gives others a chance of exposure. I’m sure India are going to come hard at us, there will be a lot of intensity. Some have come from the IPL for us while many are coming directly from back home. It’s about adapting to the team roles. Pushing for places is important, it’s something that’s driven us over the last many years. There is a lot of competitiveness and it really drives the guys. It’s been healthy for us.”

“We will bowl first. The idea is to create some energy and momentum as a team. We have played in different teams recently (in the IPL). We have had success in the past. So we want to create that same energy, fielding is the best place to start I reckon when eleven guys are together. The IPL is right up there in terms of level and competitiveness, but this is paramount. Indian cricket is the priority for everyone. That has to be case. Adapatability is what matters. People play different roles in their IPL teams. It’s about adapting quickly to this team now, who plays where is what matters. We are pretty sorted in terms of how we are going to start in the first game. Outside of that we just want to give opportunity to guys in these games as much as possible. We will look to give game-time to most of them. Things were different before IPL, now it’s difficult to look beyond KL Rahul at the top of the order. Rohit is a no-brainer. World-class player, he’s been solid up front. I will be batting at 3. That’s the only news I can give to start off (smiles).”

The news everyone had been waiting for. Virat Kohli confirms that in this game at least, KL Rahul will open and that he will bat at No.3

India captain Virat Kohli wins toss, opts to field against England in Dubai

Right then! Are you guys ready? It’s almost toss time.

Here’s a look at the top wicket-takers for India in the shortest format. No.1 in the list is not even in the reserves of India’s squad.

1) YUZVENDRA CHAHAL- 63

2) JASPRIT BUMRAH-59

3) R ASHWIN- 52

Here’s a look at the top run-getters for India in the shortest format.

1) VIRAT KOHLI- 3159

2) ROHIT SHARMA- 2864

3) SHIKHAR DHAWAN- 1579

Two of these players are in the present side. Watch out, other teams.

Matches-19 | IND- 10, ENG- 9

MS Dhoni is now with the Indian team. On Sunday night, BCCI posted a photo of Dhoni, who is now “Mentor Singh” Dhoni in fond words, could be seen with the coaching staff

India last played a T20I game against Sri Lanka. A second-string side had travelled down south and they lost the series 2-1.

1st T20I- India won by 38 runs

2nd T20I – SL won by 4 wickets

3rd T20I – SL won by 7 wickets

The last time these sides met in a T20I, it was during England’s tour in the first quarter of 2021. The two powerhouses squared off against each other in a five-match bilateral series and India ended up winning it 3-2 at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Can India carry the good form against the England side?

Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler(w), Eoin Morgan(c), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Sam Billings

Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, Varun Chakaravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy: Matches-10 | Wickets -11 | Economy Rate- 5.72

Ravindra Jadeja: Matches-9 | Wickets -7 | Economy Rate- 7.4

R Ashwin: Matches-8 | Wickets -6 | Economy Rate- 30.66

Rahul Chahar: Matches-4 | Wickets -2 | Economy Rate- 58

India’s swashbuckling batsman Rishabh Pant did score more than 400 runs in the IPL but did not look at his menacing best. Despite registering 3 fifties, he was unable to play any outrageous cameos, something the teams he represents bank on. Can he find his groove?

Continuing the attempt to find the right opening partner for Rohit Sharma, here’s a look at their numbers in the recently-concluded IPL 2021.

KL Rahul: Matches -13 | Runs- 626 | Average- 62.60 | SR 138.80 | 50s- 6

Virat Kohli: Matches -15 | Runs- 405 | Average- 28.92 | SR 119.46 | 50s- 3

Ishan Kishan: Matches -10 | Runs- 241 | Average- 26.77 | SR 133.88 | 50s- 2

YOUR PICK WOULD BE?

KL Rahul: Matches -103 | Runs- 4245 | Average- 48.23 | SR 140.84 | 100s- 2 | 50s- 39

Virat Kohli: Matches -84| Runs- 3028 | Average- 43.25 | SR 137.69 | 100s- 5 | 50s- 20

Ishan Kishan: Matches -57 | Runs- 1772 | Average- 34.07 | SR 138.43 | 100s- 2 | 50s- 11

Who will open with Rohit Sharma? This is currently one of the biggest questions in everyone’s mind?

-Can anyone convince Kohli to bat at no.3?

-Is it even possible to overlook KL Rahul’s stellar form coming into the showpiece event?

-How strong a case does Ishan Kishan make?

As expected, the BCCI decided to go with a spin-heavy attack. Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rahul Chahar, and Varun Chakaravarthy are in the main squad. Considering recent exploits of the four spinners, it is clear that irrespective of a four-prong or a three-way pace attack, Ravindra Jadeja will be a part of the scheme of things. Now, it remains to be seen whether Kohli goes with the experience of Ashwin or the youth and deception of Chakaravarthy.

India, until the Playoffs stage of IPL 2021, was only going to send three pacers to the World Cup in the main squad. However, with Pandya not bowling, they decided to shift spinner Axar Patel to the reserves and promote Shardul Thakur to the main squad. 

With Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah to choose from, it will be interesting to see how Kohli approaches the pace attack

This may be an unofficial, warm-up game but by no means, it is an unimportant match for the side, especially for Hardik Pandya. Whether he bowls or not will play a huge role in Shastri and Kohli fielding the first Playing XI against Pakistan. Hence, this game is as good as dress rehearsal for the Baroda all-rounder

Right then, folks. This is the start of Virat Kohli’s last hurrah as the captain of India’s T20I World Cup side. Yes, this is an unofficial game but knowing how Kohli operates, he is not going to go easy. And he won’t let his team do that either.

The wait will be over in less than 2 hours time as we will finally get to see the whole team in the new T20 World Cup jerseys. 

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of India’s first ICC T20 World Cup 2021 warm-up match against England. Virat Kohli and Co. will be eager to test out various options against Eoin Morgan’s men. Moreover, the team will also be seen in their new kits for the first time. There is a lot to look forward to as you, my lovely viewers, can be rest assured that the ‘Men In Blue’ will take this game as any other official game. So, sit back and relax! Enjoy the action