Nottingham, July 6 (IANS) England have named an unchanged playing eleven for the crucial third T20I against India, scheduled to be played at Trent Bridge on Tuesday. The hosts currently hold a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, following their clinical four-wicket victory over the visitors at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester on Saturday.

With momentum firmly on their side, especially after the first T20I at Chester-le-Street in Durham was abandoned due to rain, the England team management has opted for continuity by backing the same set of players to extend their advantage in the ongoing series.

In their previous meeting in Manchester, Shreyas Iyer-led India, the current Men’s T20 World Cup holders, finally gave an international debut to teenaged batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who made 14 off 10 balls, as the visitors posted 190/7 in their 20 overs.

Sooryavanshi was stumped off Will Jacks on his highly-awaited international debut, coming at the expense of Sanju Samson, after hitting two sixes. It took knocks of 49 and 43 from Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma to take India to exactly 190. Harry Brook-led England chased down the target with an over to spare as young Jacob Bethell struck a calculated, unbeaten 76 off 46 balls, laced with five fours and as many sixes.

Bethell was also aided by India leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi bowling three back-foot no-balls, as he took him down in a sensational 29-run 17th over. Sam Curran also excelled with the ball by picking 3-33. After the game in Nottingham, India and England will play the remaining two T20Is in Bristol and Southampton on July 9 and 11 respectively.

England playing eleven: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Harry Brook (captain), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and Josh Tongue

–IANS

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