3 Reasons Why IND Champions Lost to ENG Champions in the 13th Match of WCL 2025

The sunlit skies over Leeds only added to the charged atmosphere, promising a cracking contest between the Indian and English Champions. England’s star-studded batting line-up strode out and smashed the runs off quickly, ending on 223 for 3, perhaps setting India an insurmountable chase. India started poorly but appeared to be recovering well before the wheels came off spectacularly. It was a close battle, but the India Champions fell 23 runs short in the end. So, what went wrong for India in this exciting, high-profile match? Let us examine the three areas that gave England the advantage.

Top-Order Collapse Crippled India’s Momentum

To begin with, the top order of the India Champions‘ side collapsed so thoroughly during their innings that they lost any real momentum. Robin Uthappa’s duck on the second ball of the innings was an ominous start for India. Shikhar Dhawan only contributed 17, adding more pressure to the batting lineup. Ambati Rayudu (28) and Yuvraj Singh (38) tried to bail India out, but never got it back on track, so the touring party can start to cruise. 

The loss of wickets early times means that India was in a bit of danger of playing catch-up all the way, and the run rate was climbing to unrealistic levels. Not even an explosive innings from Yusuf Pathan (52 off 29 balls) was enough to make up for the bad start. The Indian batsmen never put together partnerships and let the English bowlers smell the blood early, which was tactically disadvantageous.

Ravi Bopara’s Game-Changing Power Show

Secondly, to add to, was made by Ravi Bopara’s masterclass for the England Champions changed the match in their favour. Not only was Bopara good, he exploded – he was 110 not out off just 55 balls and hit the ball to all parts of the ground, and the scoreboard was going mental. There’s no questioning his control over the Indian attack, given his blistering strike rate of 200. 

Bopara was more than just a batting sensation; he bowled a wicket and caught 3 astute catches, which meant a true all-rounder threat. Bopara’s aggressive innings set a great foundation for England’s innings, and had India’s Champions chasing shadows. Bopara’s carnage in the middle overs dispelled any thoughts India had in terms of getting a foothold back into the game and rendered the game untenable.

Poor Death Over Execution and Pressure Handling

Finally, the same inability to close out their innings under tough chase situations highlighted a glaring lack of finishers and composure. After what appeared to be fireworks from Yusuf Pathan and Stuart Binny at the end, it was evident India had come to a complete end at the death after providing 16 extras, including 10 wides, a perfect indication that nerves were at play. With less than 24 runs required with 3 overs remaining, with experienced players not required and younger players who were in form. 

Shahzad and Meaker built pressure to produce disciplined and wicket-taking spells that highlighted India’s poor shot selections and scoring rate. India had nothing like effective strike rotation, and the pressure building on the lower-order batter only added to the pressure, giving the English bowlers little to worry about on anything other than the last ball.

Bopara’s fluent innings, combined with the top order’s failure, left India powerless to compete with England. This defeat is a great example of the relevance of momentum in T20 cricket and how small mistakes can quickly become major issues.