Ravi Bishnoi endured the toughest match of his international career on Saturday as the Indian leg-spinner set an unwelcome record in the second T20I against England at Old Trafford. Bishnoi capped off a memorable night by becoming the first full member nation spinner to hit three no-balls in a men’s T20I match, playing a vital role in England’s four-match victory and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The record was born on the day that 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his long-awaited Indian debut and there was a lot of excitement. However, as the match progressed, Bishnoi’s expensive spell grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Defending 191, India got off to an ideal start with Arshdeep Singh dismissing Phil Salt and Jos Buttler Early. Harry Brook then struck back, scoring 39 runs off just 15 balls, before Axar Patel dismissed the England skipper to briefly pull India back into the match. Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton then resumed the chase with a 67-run partnership, targeting India’s spin attack at a slippery Old Trafford pitch. While Axar maintained control, Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarty struggled to find the right pace and length to allow England’s batsmen to settle. The turning point came in the 17th inning. As England closed in on the goal, Bishnoi completely lost control. He made errors on both of his first two passes, giving England two chances without the ball before Jacob Besser exploited in brutal fashion. The left-hander hit three towering sixes in the match while Bishnoi missed 29 runs, effectively ending India’s hopes of a comeback. Bishnoi ended his tenure with 0 for 60 in 4 games, one of the costliest tenures of his T20I career. Earlier, India posted 190/7 after Abhishek Sharma’s contribution (43), Shreyas Iyer (37), Ishan Kishan (49) and the final knock of Tilak Varma, who made an unbeaten 24 off just 11 balls, including 17 runs in the final. Jofra Archer. Sooryavanshi also showed his immense talent on debut. The 15-year-old became India’s youngest-ever international cricketer and the second-youngest to make his debut as a full member. He hit two sixes in 14 off 10 balls before being bowled by Jos Buttler to bowl Will Jacks. Although India performed well both in total and batting, the price paid by Bishnoi was decisive. England took a one-goal lead before Bethel scored an unbeaten 76 to seal a memorable victory. The defeat was even more painful for Bishnoi as he became the first spin bowler from a full member nation to bowl 3 no-balls in a men’s T20 international after being named persona non grata.
