On This Day — Rishabh Pant’s Stunning 125 Seals Series Win for India in Style

India were chasing a big target against England and had lost early wickets. But Pant held his nerve, played a brilliant knock, and guided the team to a memorable win. His unbeaten century not only saved India from a collapse but also sealed the series 2-1. Let’s take a look at how Pant turned the game around with his match-winning performance.

India vs England: 17th July 2022

With the series levelled at 1-1, the 3rd ODI at Old Trafford, Manchester, on July 17, 2022, saw India clinch a thrilling 5-wicket victory over England, chasing 260 with 47 balls to spare, securing the series 2-1. Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 125 off 113 balls earned him Player of the Match, while Hardik Pandya’s all-round brilliance, 4/24 and 71 off 55 balls, won him Player of the Series. India, opting to field after winning the toss, restricted England to 259 in 45.5 overs, before Pant’s aggressive century guided them to 261/5 in 42.1 overs.

Jos Buttler Takes England to 259 Runs

England’s batting began on a lively Old Trafford pitch after India opted to field. Jason Roy started brightly, smashing 41 off 31 balls with seven crisp fours, looking to dominate early. His aggressive intent set a positive tone, but Hardik Pandya struck in the 10th over, getting Roy caught by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, ending a promising knock. Jonny Bairstow, usually reliable, faced a torrid start, dismissed for a three-ball duck by Mohammed Siraj, who induced an edge caught by substitute Shreyas Iyer in the second over. Siraj struck again immediately, trapping Joe Root lbw for another duck, leaving England reeling at 12/2 after just 1.6 overs.

The early blows put pressure on the middle order, and Ben Stokes stepped up, counterattacking with 27 off 29 balls, including four boundaries. He and Roy added 54 runs for the third wicket, steadying the ship before Pandya returned to dismiss Stokes, who spooned a catch back to the bowler in the 14th over. At 74/4, England were in a spot of bother, but captain Jos Buttler took charge. Buttler played a measured innings, scoring 60 off 80 balls with three fours and two sixes, anchoring the innings with composure. He found an able partner in Moeen Ali, who contributed 34 off 44 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes.

Their 75-run fifth-wicket stand rebuilt the innings, taking England past 100 in the 22nd over. Ravindra Jadeja broke the partnership in the 28th over, getting Moeen caught by Pant, shifting momentum back to India. Liam Livingstone, known for his power-hitting, scored 27 off 31 balls with two fours and two sixes, but Pandya’s short-ball tactic worked again, as Livingstone skied one to Jadeja in the 37th over. Buttler fell soon after in the same over, caught by Jadeja off Pandya, leaving England at 199/7. David Willey chipped in with 18 off 15 balls, including a four and a six, while Craig Overton played a crucial knock of 32 off 33 balls, with a four and a six, pushing England towards a competitive total.

Yuzvendra Chahal cleaned up the tail, dismissing Willey and Overton, and bowling Reece Topley for a duck to wrap up the innings at 259 in 45.5 overs. Brydon Carse remained not out on 3. Pandya was the star bowler, finishing with 4/24 in seven overs, including three maidens, utilizing his short-ball strategy to great effect, as noted in match reports, as he unsettled batsmen like Livingstone. Chahal supported with 3/60, while Siraj’s 2/66 included those vital early wickets. Jadeja’s 1/21 was economical, and though Mohammed Shami (0/38) and Prasidh Krishna (0/48) didn’t take wickets, they kept the pressure on.

England’s innings included 17 extras of 2 leg byes, 2 no-balls, and 13 wides with a run rate of 5.65. The first powerplay yielded 66/3, the middle overs (10.1-40) produced 148/4, driven by Buttler and Moeen’s stand, and the final powerplay added 45/3. England reached 150 in 27.4 overs and 250 in 44.2 overs, but their total felt short on a good batting track, as India’s coach Rahul Dravid later noted, praising his bowlers’ discipline. The early collapse and inability to accelerate late, as highlighted by commentator Nick Giles’ concerns about England’s top order, left them vulnerable, setting India a chaseable target of 260.

Rishabh Pant’s Century Leads India’s Fight

India’s chase of 260 started with early hiccups but was transformed by Rishabh Pant’s brilliant unbeaten 125 off 113 balls. Openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan faced a fiery Reece Topley, who struck twice in the powerplay. Dhawan managed just 1 off 3 balls before edging to Jason Roy in the third over. Rohit, the captain, looked aggressive, scoring 17 off 17 balls with four fours, but Topley had him caught by Joe Root in the fifth over. Virat Kohli, under pressure to find form, scored 17 off 22 balls with three boundaries but fell in the ninth over, edging Topley to Jos Buttler, leaving India at 38/3.

Suryakumar Yadav joined Pant, adding 16 off 28 balls in a 34-run stand, but Craig Overton dismissed him, caught by Buttler, in the 17th over. At 72/4, India were wobbling, but Pant found a dynamic partner in Hardik Pandya. Hardik blasted 71 off 55 balls, including 10 fours, at a strike rate of 129.09, forming a match-defining 133-run fifth-wicket partnership with Pant. The duo took India past 100 in the 21st over, with their 50-run stand coming in just 49 balls. Hardik’s aggressive strokeplay, smashing seven fours in his fifty off 43 balls, complemented Pant’s steady accumulation.

Pant reached his fifty off 71 balls, mixing caution with flair, before accelerating. The pair’s 100-run partnership came in 99 balls, taking India to 183/4 by the second drinks break in the 34th over. Hardik fell in the 36th over, caught by Ben Stokes off Brydon Carse, with India at 205/5. Pant, undeterred, pushed on, reaching his century off 106 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes, earning praise from Buttler for his fearless approach. Ravindra Jadeja joined Pant, contributing an unbeaten 7 off 15 balls in a 56-run unbroken sixth-wicket stand, guiding India to 261/5 in 42.1 overs.

Pant’s 125, with 16 fours and 2 sixes, was the cornerstone of the chase, completed with 47 balls to spare. Topley led England’s bowling with 3/35, while Carse (1/45) and Overton (1/54) took one wicket each. David Willey (0/58), Moeen Ali (0/33), Ben Stokes (0/14), and Liam Livingstone (0/14) couldn’t break through, with Joe Root bowling a solitary ball for 4 runs. England conceded 7 extras (1 bye, 3 leg byes, 3 wides). India’s run rate of 6.18 reflected their dominance, with 43/3 in the first powerplay, 188/2 in the middle overs (10.1-40), and 30/0 in the final powerplay.

Key milestones included 50 runs in 11.4 overs, 150 in 29.2 overs, and 250 in 41.4 overs. The sixth-wicket stand of 50 runs in 38 balls sealed the chase. Rohit later acknowledged the top order’s struggles but lauded Pant and Hardik’s resilience, while Dravid called the batting effort exceptional. The victory, completed on July 17, 2022, was all about India’s depth, with Pant’s composure and Hardik’s aggression overcoming early losses to clinch the series 2-1, leaving England unable to defend 259 despite Topley’s early breakthroughs.