17th over: England 209-5 (Bethell 94, Curran 14) Back comes Arshdeep, whose last over was mostly wides, plus a big wicket. He starts with a wide now, but then gets his yorker spot-on, with some reverse inswing, and Bethell does superbly to jab his bat down on it. Curran gets a two, then just a single – almost as good as a wicket to the Indians now.
England need a big hit and Bethell must know that. After another wide, he nails a straight drive down the ground. Six! I think that’s his first six since his 12th ball. And he adds a squirt for four. Sixteen off the over! England need 45 off the last three. Their chances sneak up to 22pc, but Bethell will have to stay there.
16th over: England 193-5 (Bethell 83, Curran 11) Back comes Bumrah. It’s not boom boom, it’s pace off. One, one… four! Classy from Curran, clipping the yorker into the gap at deep square. The next yorker yields a dot, cheered like a wicket. Two singles to finish.
The rate, which stayed so long at 13 or so, creeps up towards 15. England’s chances are 12 per cent. I’d put them a bit lower than that, but they’ve done so well to stay in the game.
15th over: England 185-5 (Bethell 81, Curran 5) SKY brings back Chakravarty for his final over. Bethell, who seems to have a supernatural temperament, cuts for two and drives for four. That’s six of the required 13 or 14 off the first two balls. In fact seven off two, as the next delivery is a wide. Sam Curran plays himself in for one ball, then pulls for four. That’s 13 off the over! England need 69 from the last five.
