END OF OVER:20 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | IND: 124/7 | RR: 6.20
- Axar Patel7 (3b)
- Washington Sundar3 (3b)
- Chris Jordan4-0-27-1
- Sam Curran2-0-15-0
8.45pm: Now, is that more than a hill of beans? Few teams batting first would be happy going in with 124 to defend... not least given bowling is supposed to be England's weaker suit. But we will have to wait and see. In the meantime, here's Shreyas Iyer, who is putting a brave face on it: "From the start we got, we got to a really good total, it's a two-paced wicket. A challenging score, hopefully our bowlers bowl well to defend this. Realised the ball wasn't coming on, bit uneven so I'll play cricketing shots and let's see. Worked out well for me and hopefully a decent total. [Partnership with Pandya?] When it's No5 and 6, we have the best possible chance, don't want to leave the responsibility on those to come. We wanted to wait until the 16th over and take it on. Not sensing dew right now, will help the spinners as well as the seamers on this wicket."
On Iyer's efforts, our stats man Sampath has this:
Highest T20I scores for India batting at No.5 or lower:
79* - Manish Pandey vs SA, Centurion, 2018
77* - Yuvraj Singh vs AUS, Rajkot, 2013
65* - Shreyas Iyer vs ENG, Ahmedabad, Today
Axar Patel is in at the death
Back-of-the-hand slowie from Jordan, that... something he's been working on?
SS Iyer c Malan b Jordan 67 (75m 48b 8x4 1x6) SR: 139.58
India above a run a ball here [eyebrows]
"India's top 3 scored a total of five runs today. That's India's lowest in T20 internationals." Some stats magique, from Eye of Sauron
Chris Jordan to bowl out. Iyer has carried this innings, but he needs swing a couple more boundaries here...
Here's Deep: "This is going to hurt... but Kohli is beginning to look a bit like Inzi from 2003 world cup... not literally, but metaphorically. All that work on fitness, talk about shedding conservative approach... but the bat isn't walking the talk." Rather you call him aloo than me, eh
END OF OVER:19 | 9 Runs | IND: 114/6 | RR: 6.00
- Shreyas Iyer66 (46b)
- Washington Sundar2 (2b)
- Sam Curran2-0-15-0
- Jofra Archer4-1-23-3
"18.3 is only the second time in this match after 17.0 that India touched run-a-ball score," notes santosh battula. They're heading bang on for 120, as things stand...
"Well I certainly missed two things in test series," chirps Abhishek Thodge. "1. All these English bowlers consistently clicking 90 mph. 2. Shreyas Iyer in this red hot form!"
Options, options... Who does Morgan go to for the 19th? Sam Curran it is
END OF OVER:18 | 3 Runs 2 Wkts | IND: 105/6 | RR: 5.83
- Shreyas Iyer58 (41b)
- Washington Sundar1 (1b)
- Jofra Archer4-1-23-3
- Chris Jordan3-0-17-0
Archer finishes with excellent figures of 3 for 23. Can India boff a few off the last couple, and get Motera bouncing again?
"That was too good a hook to get out for!" squeaks Aniket
Washington Sundar, who showed his class with the bat in the fourth Test, out to face Archer on a hat-trick
This is from Matt Roller, by the way - Archer's T20 career head-to-head with Hardik: 34 balls, 35 runs, 3 wickets
SN Thakur c Malan b Archer 0 (1m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Shardul Thakur is sent up the order for a slog
HH Pandya c Jordan b Archer 19 (37m 21b 1x4 1x6) SR: 90.47
Three overs to go
END OF OVER:17 | 10 Runs | IND: 102/4 | RR: 6.00
- Shreyas Iyer57 (39b)
- Hardik Pandya19 (19b)
- Chris Jordan3-0-17-0
- Jofra Archer3-1-20-1
That's a fine way to bring up the India 100