On This Day: England Edge Australia by 2 Runs as Visitors Collapse from 98 for 0 in T20I

Chasing a modest target of 163, Australia looked in complete control at 98 without loss after 10 overs. However, what followed was a stunning collapse as England fought back with discipline and nerves of steel. Wickets tumbled at crucial stages, and the pressure mounted on the visitors. In the end, Australia fell short by just 2 runs, handing England a thrilling victory.

Australia vs England: September 4, 2020

The match where England faced Australia in the first T20I at Southampton on September 4, 2020, saw England battle their way to 162 for 7 in 20 overs. It all started with Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow walking out to open the batting, ready to take on Australia’s bowlers. Buttler was in fine form, cracking 44 runs off 29 balls with five fours and two sixes, racing along at a strike rate of 151.72. He looked comfortable from the start, picking gaps and hitting cleanly to give England a strong start. Bairstow, though, didn’t quite find his groove, scratching out 8 runs off 7 balls before Pat Cummins got him out in the fourth over. Their 43-run opening stand was a solid base, but losing Bairstow at 43 for 1 put a slight dent in their plans.

Dawid Malan came in next and played a gem of an innings, scoring 66 off 43 balls to earn the Player of the Match award. His knock had five fours and three sixes, and with a strike rate of 153.48, he showed he could keep things steady while still punishing loose balls. Malan held the innings together after Buttler fell to Ashton Agar in the eighth over, leaving England at 64 for 2. He and Buttler had added 21 runs together, but with Buttler gone, Malan had to take charge. Tom Banton, batting at four, couldn’t get going, managing just 8 off 10 balls before Agar struck again in the tenth over, leaving England at 74 for 3.

Eoin Morgan, the captain, came in looking to up the tempo, but his stay was short and sweet, 5 runs off 3 balls before Glenn Maxwell had him caught by Steve Smith in the 12th over. That left England at 91 for 4, and things were starting to look shaky. Moeen Ali, who could’ve been the spark England needed, had a tough time, scoring just 2 off 6 balls before Maxwell got him in the 14th over, leaving England at 108 for 5. With wickets tumbling, Malan’s calm presence was a lifeline, keeping England’s hopes alive.

Tom Curran joined Malan but struggled to find his rhythm, making 6 off 10 balls before Kane Richardson dismissed him in the 17th over, with England at 124 for 6. Malan, meanwhile, reached his fifty off 37 balls, a knock that mixed clever placement with timely boundaries, including five fours and a six. He kept England ticking, helping them cross 100 in the 13th over and push toward 150 by the 19th. But Malan’s innings ended in the 18th over when Richardson had him caught for 66, leaving England at 147 for 7.

Chris Jordan, coming in late, played a handy cameo, finishing not out on 14 off 8 balls with a four that boosted England’s total in the final overs. Adil Rashid chipped in with an unbeaten 1 off 4, making sure England didn’t lose any more wickets. Extras added 8 runs with 2 byes and 6 wides and England ended at 162 for 7, scoring at 8.10 runs per over. The powerplay was a highlight, with 55 runs for one wicket in the first six overs, giving them a good start.

Australia’s bowling was led by Kane Richardson and Ashton Agar, who each took two wickets. Richardson was tight, giving away just 13 runs, while Agar conceded 32. Glenn Maxwell was sharp, grabbing two wickets for 14 runs, and Pat Cummins picked up one wicket. Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa didn’t take wickets, with Zampa having a tough day, leaking 47 runs in his four overs. England’s innings was a story of fighting through a wobbly middle order, with Malan’s class and composure setting a challenging target of 163 for Australia to chase.

Australia’s chase kicked off with David Warner and Aaron Finch looking in complete control. Warner played a steady, anchoring role, scoring 58 off 47 balls with four fours at a strike rate of 123.40. Finch, the captain, was the aggressor, blasting 46 off 32 balls with seven fours and a six, going at 143.75. Together, they put on a cracking 98-run stand in 10.6 overs, making the target look well within reach. The powerplay was electric, with Australia racing to 55 for no loss in six overs, hitting 50 in just 5.2 overs.

Things changed in the 11th over when Jofra Archer got Finch caught by Chris Jordan, breaking the opening stand at 98 for 1. Steve Smith came in and kept the momentum going, scoring a quick 18 off 11 balls with two fours and a six, striking at 163.63. But Adil Rashid turned the game in the 14th over, getting Smith caught by Jonny Bairstow to leave Australia at 124 for 2. Rashid wasn’t done as he struck again in the same over, dismissing Glenn Maxwell for 1 off 2 balls, caught by Eoin Morgan, leaving Australia at 127 for 3. Losing Maxwell so quickly piled on the pressure.

Warner kept fighting but fell in the 16th over when Archer bowled him for 58, leaving Australia at 129 for 4. Alex Carey, the new batsman, couldn’t get going, scraping just 1 off 5 balls before Mark Wood bowled him in the 17th over, leaving Australia at 133 for 5. Ashton Agar joined Marcus Stoinis, but the runs were getting harder to come by. A big moment came in the 19th over when Agar was run out for 4 off 5 balls after a sharp throw from Jordan, leaving Australia at 148 for 6.

Stoinis, finishing not out on 23 off 18 balls, kept Australia in the hunt with a big six in the final over. Needing 15 runs off the last over, bowled by Tom Curran, Stoinis started with a dot, then smashed a huge six over long-off, bringing the equation to 9 off 4 balls. But Curran stayed cool, bowling tight yorkers and low full tosses. Stoinis swung and missed a few times, and Australia could only manage 12 runs in the final over, falling two runs short at 160 for 6.

England’s bowlers were led by Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid, who each took two wickets, giving away 33 and 29 runs respectively. Mark Wood got one wicket, while Chris Jordan and Tom Curran were brilliant at the death. Jordan’s 19th over was tight, conceding just 4 runs and getting a run-out. Curran’s final over was the difference, giving away only 12 runs when 15 were needed. Moeen Ali bowled one over for 9 runs. Australia’s innings started with a bang, but the wheels came off in the final overs, collapsing from 98 for no loss to 148 for 6 in the last nine overs. England’s smart bowling, especially Curran’s nerve in the last over, sealed a heart-stopping two-run win, giving them a 1-0 lead in the series.