Dream start for Ishan Kishan, powers India to win in 2nd T20I vs England

Mumbai Indians (MI) batsman Ishan Kishan had a memorable India debut as he registered fifty on debut on Sunday.

He scored a 32-ball 56 during India's successful chase of 165 in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. He opened the innings with KL Rahul in the absence of his MI skipper Rohit Sharma, who has been rested for the first two T20Is. After scoring just one run in the first T20I, Rahul once again failed with that bat, getting out for a six-ball duck on Sunday. That brought Virat Kohli to the crease in the second over.

Kishan and Kohli put up 94 runs for the second wicket in just 56 balls. In that partnership, Kohli chipped in with 35 runs, while Kishan scored 56. Kishan struck four sixes and five fours en route his Man of the Match innings on his India debut and laid the platform for India's chase. Kohli remained unbeaten on 73 off 49 balls as India sealed the second T20I with seven balls and seven wickets to spare to equal the five-match series 1-1.

Kohli, who was coming off two back-to-back ducks in international cricket, finished the game in the 18th over by hitting a four and six when India needed only 10 runs to win. Overall, the Indian captain hit three sixes and five fours in his knock as he became the first male cricketer to 3,000 runs in T20Is. The first male cricketer to reach 1,000 runs in the T20Is was former New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum, who had achieved the milestone in 2010. The BlackCaps explosive batter was also the first cricketer in men's cricket to complete 2,000 runs in the shortest format.

India's middle-order batsman Rishabh Pant scored a quick-fire 26 off 13 balls. He hammered two sixes and two fours before throwing away his wicket in the 14th over. That brought in Shreyas Iyer, who went on to remain not out on eight off as many balls.

In a post-match interview, Kohli hailed the 22-year-old Kishan, saying the MI batsman is a very calculated player and not restless.

"We ticked all the boxes we wanted to and to give away only 34 in the last five overs is a very special effort. Special mention to Washi and everyone chipped in and all in all very happy with the bowling and batting as well. It did come onto the bat a bit better in the second innings and the slower balls stopped gripped and a special mention to Ishan the way he batted.

I tried to do what I can but he kept following his instincts and it was a quality innings on debut. When you play in the IPL with such dominance as he has and he is a fearless character and he knew that he was hitting the ball well and he is very calculated and not restless," added Kohli.

Earlier, India handed debuts to Kishan and his MI teammate Suryakumar Yadav. Kohli won the toss and put England to bat in the second T20I on Sunday. England opener Jason Roy top-scored for England with 46 off 35 as the visitors put up 164 for 6 in 20 overs.

With the series levelled at 1-1, the third T20I is scheduled to take place on Tuesday at the same venue in Ahmedabad.