Chasing 191, England reached the target with an over to spare, thanks to Bethell’s 46-ball knock that featured five sixes. Earlier, Sam Curran returned figures of 3/33, his best bowling performance in a T20I on home soil, to help restrict India.
All eyes, however, were on 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who became India’s youngest-ever international cricketer at 15 years and 99 days, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record. Replacing Sanju Samson in the XI, the teenage opener scored 14 off 10 balls, including two sixes, in his much-anticipated debut innings.
Facing England debutant Josh Tongue, Sooryavanshi was beaten by his first two deliveries before getting off the mark via an inside edge after a leg-side wide. Despite his brief cameo, England sealed the win to level the series.
Next up came the challenge of facing the recalled Jofra Archer on a quick, bouncy surface. He met it by getting down on one knee and helping Archer over fine leg for six.
There was another six from the first ball of Tongue’s next over as he hoisted a length ball into the crowd on the leg side with a terrific pick-up.
England captain Harry Brook turned to the spin of Will Jacks and that proved to be Sooryavanshi’s undoing. Advancing down the wicket to try to put Jacks over the off side, he was beaten and England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler whipped off the bails to stump him as he fell to the ground attempting to get back into his crease.
The left-hander had at least played his part in an opening stand of 50 in 4.5 overs with Abhishek Sharma who went on to make 43 from 24 balls.
Kishan Ishan top-scored with 49 for India with captain Shreyas Iyer making 37 while Tilak Varma provided a late kick to the innings with 24 off 11 balls, including successive sixes off Archer. India reached 190-7 in their 20 overs.
Arshdeep Singh got India away to a dream start with the ball, removing both England’s openers for ducks in the first over. Phil Salt edged the first ball of the innings to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and Buttler clipped a delivery to mid-wicket where Varun Chakravarthy clung on to a sharp catch.
Brook took the attack to India, hitting Arshdeep for three sixes in his next over but was caught behind down the leg side off his glove sweeping Axar Patel on review for 39 off 15 balls. It was Axar’s 100th T20 wicket for India and he went on to post impressive figures of 1-20 off his four overs.
Arshdeep returned later to break a dangerous partnership between Tom Banton and Bethell with Banton holing out at deep extra cover.
But Bethell turned the game by hitting Ravi Bishnoi with sixes off free hits from two back-foot no balls from the leg spinner. The 17th over went for 29 and from there England made it home despite the loss of Curran to a catch in the deep by Sooryavanshi.
The third game of the five-match T20 series takes place at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.
(With Reuters inputs)
First Published:Â Jul 5, 2026 12:40 AM IST
