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Dhaka: India gained the much-needed boost ahead of their ICC World T20 opener against Pakistan when they comfortably defeated England by 20 runs in their second and final warm-up game on Wednesday.
Riding on a cavalier unbeaten 73 off 47 balls from Virat Kohli and an equally entertaining 54 off 31 balls from Suresh Raina, India scored an imposing 178 for four in 20 overs. It was a good enough total for the bowlers to restrict the opposition to 158 for six.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni used seven bowlers in all and Ravichandran Ashwin was again the best bowler in the park as he returned with economical figures of one for 20 from four overs.
Raina also impressed with the ball as he gave away only 23 runs in four overs getting a wicket in the process. Left-handed opener Michael Lumb, a T20 freelancer who has played in IPL and regularly features in Big Bash teams, took advantage of the Powerplay field restrictions as he repeatedly gave charge to Bhuvneshwar Kumar hitting him over the in-field.
He in fact came out lofting him over extra cover for a six. His partner Alex Hales was a bit subdued at the other end and was cleaned up by Bhuvneshwar when he tried a cross-batted heave.
Having scored a quickfire 36 with six fours and a six, Lumb's luck finally ran out as he tried to give Raina the charge misreading the flight and subsequent turn. Dhoni effected the easiest of stumpings. Eoin Morgan (16) holed out in the deep while trying to clear Ashwin over long on fence.
Moeen was slow to begin with but did play some strokes once he got his eye in. The slog-swept six off Raina was the biggest of the match as it went deep into the mid-wicket stands. His partner Jos Butler was also in a mood to spank the spinners as he lofted Jadeja for a six over long on and then dug out a delivery in the blockhole by the left-arm spinner to the wide of long-on fielder.
The Moeen-Butler duo added 41 runs in only 3.4 overs before the former, trying to clear the fielder at the deep square-leg boundary, was caught by Ajinkya Rahane.
But Butler (30) kept on trying as he lifted Varun Aaron over mid-off and then moved towards off-stump to lift him over the short fine-leg fielder. However, he had too much to do in the end.
25 runs were needed off the last over and it was difficult to get away Ravindra Jadeja (2/23) who got Butler stumped by Dhoni.
Brief scores
India - 178/4 (Kohli 74*, Raina 54)
England - 158/6 (Ali 46, Lump 36, Butler 30, Jadeja 2-23)
Result - India won by 20 runs
