World’s two top T20I sides look to kickstart the action at Old Trafford after series opener wash out
England v India | 2nd T20I | Saturday 4th July | Old Trafford, Manchester | 3:30pm
Saturday’s game in Manchester is the second game of a five-match series. The series remains all-square at 0-0 after the opener in Durham was rained out on Wednesday.
Teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is part of the Indian squad for the series. He has yet to be selected but his first international appearance is being eagerly anticipated.
India head into the weekend’s encounter without a win in their last three T20Is – a very rare situation for the World Champions.
India are currently the top ranked side in T20I cricket while England are ranked second.
India’s Ishan Kishan has knocked his teammate Abhishek Sharma off the number one place on the T20I batting rankings. Kishan marked his elevation to the top spot on the rankings by being run out for a duck in the first game of the series, while Abhishek found form with a brisk 59 runs from 24 balls.
Recent form has seen Abhishek operating in a very six or nothing style. His last five innings have seen score of 59, 0, 49, 0 and 56.
England’s Phil Salt is the home side’s highest ranked batter in the series. He is fourth in the ICC rankings.
Shreyas Iyer has yet to win a match as India’s T20I skipper. His first two games in charge came in the series defeat against Ireland, while the series opener at Chester-le-Street was his third game in charge of the World Champions.
Jasprit Bumrah is not part of the Indian squad, but the ICC’s second ranked T20I bowler, Varun Chakaravarthy, is there. He didn’t get the opportunity to bowl in the series opener after rain meant India never had the chance to bowl.
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
India has played two previous T20Is at Old Trafford (both against England). They lost on their first appearance at the ground in 2011, before winning in 2018.
Saturday’s game will be the 14th ever T20I to be held at Old Trafford.
England’s dicey weather has had an effect at the ground with three of the 13 games played at the venue ending with No Result.
England have lost just three of the 13 T20Is they have played at Old Trafford.
Fielding first is the preference for teams winning the toss – chasing has been the choice for teams winning the toss in eight of the 13 games played at the ground.
The team fielding first has won six times while the team setting a score has been victorious on four occasions.
The average first innings score at the venue is 161.
The highest score made at the venue was England’s massive 304/2 from 20 over recorded against South Africa in 2025. That game saw Phil Salt score a sensational 141 runs from 60 balls.
The lowest total recorded at the ground was New Zealand’s 103 all out from 13.5 overs made against England in 2023.
The highest score successfully chased at the ground was England’s 199/5 from 19.1 overs made against Pakistan in 2020.
Weather:
On Saturday afternoon, Manchester will experience mostly cloudy skies with persistent overcast conditions. Temperatures will hover around 20 degrees. A gentle westerly breeze will keep the air moving. Fortunately, the chance of precipitation remains very low, staying under five percent, making it an ideal, dry window for a good day of cricket.
Form (most recent game first):
England: NR, L, W, W, W.
India: NR, L, L, W, W.
Last five games head-to-head: NR, Ind, Ind, Ind, Eng.
Key player:
England, Phil Salt: Powerful opener Phil Salt is England’s highest ranked T20I batter and a man with a great history at Old Trafford – in September 2025, he played a historic, record-breaking knock at the ground against South Africa, smashing an unbeaten 141 off just 60 balls. It was the fastest T20I century by an Englishman (he reached the milestone off 39 deliveries). Known for his fearless, high-stakes boundary hitting at the top of the order, Salt’s incredible powerplay leverage and aggressive career T20 stroke play make him vital to giving England an early advantage over the Indian bowling attack. Salt has never been dismissed in a T20I at Old Trafford.
India, Abhishek Sharma: The man with the world’s highest career strike rate in T20Is enters the match in sensational form, having just blazed a destructive 59 off 24 balls against England in Wednesday’s series opener. The explosive left-handed opener holds a career T20I batting average of 33.61 with an extraordinary strike rate of 193.25. He consistently provides India with lightning-fast starts. His unique ability to dismantle spin and pace alike ensures he will be key at the top of India’s order this Saturday. While he does have the tendency to go early, if he gets going, England will have plenty to worry about.
Verdict: England
These are the two best sides in the world, but England will know that India is in a vulnerable place having arrived in the UK off the back of a 2-0 series defeat to Ireland. It is a strong Indian team, but England match them player for player, and with the intimate knowledge of local conditions and an expert pace attack, expect the home side to get this one over the line.
