India vs England: Joe Root victim of shocking lbw decision as Eoin Morgan’s side fall five runs short in second T20
Hosts levelled the series at 1-1 with a narrow win in Nagpur
India levelled the T20 series in a last-ball thriller which England looked like they had won with an over to go.
And England were victims of three shocking umpiring decisions from Indian official Chettithody Shamshuddin.
Off the first ball of the last over Joe Root was given out lbw for 38 despite edging the ball into his pads – and he fumed as he walked off.
England assistant coach Paul Farbrace could also be seen having strong words with umpire Shamshuddin as the players left the field.
Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes had got England to the brink of victory with Buttler playing an audacious flick for six in the penultimate over to leave England needing eight to win from the last over.
But after Root’s dismissal, Buttler followed and they could only manage two runs and lost two wickets, to lose the match by five runs.
The series stands at 1-1 with the last match to come on Wednesday in Bengaluru.
England’s chase began badly with openers gone in successive balls – Sam Billings giving the charge to left-armer Ashish Nehra and holing out to deep mid-wicket before for 12 before Jason Roy chipped to Suresh Raina at mid-wicket for ten.
Joe Root and skipper Morgan calmed things down with a steady 43 off 41 balls for the third wicket but Morgan went for 17 when he slogged leggie Amit Mishra to the mid-wicket boundary.
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Stokes joined Root and had a huge let-off first ball when he was bowled by a googly from Mishra – only for the umpire to reveal it was a no-ball.
Stokes made India pay as he and Root added a vital 52 from 41 balls with Stokes taking the initiative by launching spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Raina for sixes in successive overs.
Stokes was out lbw for 38 off only 27 balls when he swung across the line to seamer Nehra.
Earlier, paceman Chris Jordan bowled outstandingly, taking three for 22 – his most economical T20 four-over spell in an England shirt.
The Barbados-born paceman picked up the vital wicket of Virat Kohli for 21 when the Indian maestro was tricked by a 64mph slower ball and was caught on the straight to Liam Dawson at long on.
Kohli was the first to benefit from Shamshuddin’s incompetence when he made only 7 – Jordan’s full-throated lbw shout was turned down despite replays showing it to be hitting middle stump.