T20 World Cup: How facing England at Wankhede can make India nervous

In less than half a century, England has enjoyed some of its most memorable wins against India – across formats – at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, results that made a mockery of home advantage and provided a rude jolt to the passionate fanbase.

Here are the occasions, since 1980, when England came out on top against India at the Wankhede Stadium.

Tests:

1980 – One-man show

England won by 10 wickets

The Golden Jubilee Test was an occasion to celebrate the BCCI’s formation half a century earlier. It, however, turned out to be the stage to celebrate the outrageous all-round talents of one Ian Terence Botham, then at the peak of his powers. The England talisman took 13 wickets in the match (6/58 and 7/48) sandwiched by a 114 with the bat as the visitors, led by Mike Brearley, ran away with a 10-wicket win.

After dismissing the hosts for 242, England were tottering at 58/5 before Botham put on 171 runs with wicketkeeper Bob Taylor to turn the game around. It wouldn’t have been so had India skipper Gundappa Viswanath hadn’t recalled Taylor to the wicket after he had been given out by the umpire, a gesture remembered till date.

2006 – Underdogs on top

England won by 212 runs

England were led by Andrew Flintoff for the first time after Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick pulled out of the tour. They had arrived in Mumbai for the final match of the three-Test series after losing in Mohali by nine wickets.

But Andrew Strauss scored a first-innings hundred and the talismanic skipper hit 50s in both innings and took a three-wicket haul in the fourth innings. A young James Anderson took four wickets in India’s first essay, but the unlikely match-winner was innocuous-looking off-spinner Shaun Udal who took 4/14 on the final day as the home team, led by Rahul Dravid, were bundled out for 100 chasing 313 for victory. The series thus finished 1-1.

2012 – Shoe on the other foot

England won by 10 wickets

England, under new captain Alastair Cook, were expected to be cooked on the turners. But inspired by their captain and the returning Kevin Pietersen – who had been in the eye of a storm after sending texts critical of previous skipper Andrew Strauss to South African players – the visitors bounced back from a heavy defeat in the first Test to first level the series and then eventually do the unthinkable by taking it altogether.

India’s first innings of 327, built on Cheteshwar Pujara’s 135, was considered a good score before Cook dropped anchor on the crease with a 122 and Pietersen played an innings for the ages. His 186 is considered one of the finest hundreds by an overseas batsman in India.

With a lead of 86, the spin twins Graeme Swann (4/70 and 4/43) and Monty Panesar (5/129 and 6/81) set about their task as India were bowled out for 142, allowing the visitors to seal a comprehensive win.

ODIs

1987 – Spoiling the World Cup party

England won by 35 runs

This one hurt the most. In the first World Cup away from England, co-hosts India and Pakistan were tipped to reach the final. But while Imran Khan’s men were upset by Allan Border’s Australia in the semifinal in Lahore, the next day, Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting swept Kapil Dev’s Devils off their feet in Mumbai.

Gooch, the England captain, took out the broom at every opportunity against left-arm spinners Ravi Shastri and Maninder Singh and his 115 off 136 balls, adding 117 for the third wicket with Gatting (56 off 62), took them to 254/6 in 50 overs.

It was a stiff target in those days, especially in a World Cup knockout game, and India got off on the wrong foot with Sunil Gavaskar bowled by Phil Defreitas for 4 in what turned out to be his last game for the country. Mohammad Azharuddin (64) was the top scorer, but it wasn’t to be as off-spinner Eddie Hemmings (4/52) and pacer Neil Foster (3/47) helped bowl India out for 219 with the last five wickets falling for 15 runs.

2002 – A score to be settled

England won by 5 runs

This contest ended with Flintoff taking his shirt off after getting the final wicket and setting off on a celebratory run around the Wankhede turf. India captain Sourav Ganguly slotted it in his memory bank and waved his shirt on the Lord’s balcony after India won the Natwest Trophy final a few months down the line.

The Mumbai game was the sixth and final one of the ODI series and England needed a win to square the series. Their charge with the bat was led by opener Trescothick with an 80-ball 95 but there were hardly any other major contributors. Skipper Nasser Hussain (41 off 38) and Flintoff (40 off 50) took the tourists to 255.

The Indian batting that day didn’t have such an impregnable look after Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Ganguly, but still at 191/3 with more than 13 overs to go, the game was almost in the pocket.

But once the captain got out for 80 to left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, the team imploded as only 59 runs were added with the team getting bowled out on the penultimate delivery of the game. Michael Vaughan got two wickets for 37 runs in his 10 overs, and when Flintoff (3/38) disturbed Javagal Srinath’s stumps, it was a cue for the burly all-rounder to bare his torso.

T20Is:

2012 – Last-ball heroics

England won by 6 wickets

This was the first T20I played at the famous venue and the hosts were coming off a win in Pune in the first of the two-match series. India would have fancied their chances with England needing three runs off the last ball for victory. But England captain Eoin Morgan hit Ashok Dinda back over his head for a six to seal the 178-run chase. Michael Lumb (50 off 34 balls) and Alex Hales (42 off 33) had given the visitors the perfect platform by adding 80 in 8.2 overs, but the innings had stuttered thereafter and needed Morgan’s (49 not out off 26 balls) match-winning intervention right at the end.

Most of the Indian batsmen got starts but there were no big innings. The highest score was 38 by Virat Kohli (20 balls) and skipper MS Dhoni (18 balls), with Suresh Raina contributing 35 off 24 balls.

Just another instance of England upsetting India’s applecart at the Wankhede.