The Climactic Finish

• India needed 193 to win on Day 5. By lunch, they were 112/8, in deep trouble. But Ravindra Jadeja held firm with an astonishing unbeaten 61 from 181 balls, paired with tail-enders Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj22 

• India inched closer, shifting momentum and tempting tragedy — until the 75th over, final ball…

Final Ball: Bashir vs Siraj

• England’s teenager Shoaib Bashir, nursing a broken finger, delivered a beautifully flighted off-break. Siraj seemed safe—textbook defense, middle of the bat.

• But budged by Lord’s slope and what a pitch might do, the ball spun back twice—off the pitch, off the bat, off the pitch—and trickled onto the stumps, dislodging the bail

• It was utter anti‑logic but pure cricket poetry: a “freak delivery and pure bad‑luck” moment

• The final wicket: Siraj bowled—just as he thought survival was assured. England players erupted in jubilation—as did the crowd

Key Performances & Moments

• Ben Stokes was named Man of the Match with a 77-run knock, 5 wickets, and a run-out—brutal all-round supremacy26 .

• Jofra Archer, in his Test return, bagged key wickets including Pant and a one-handed catch

• Jadeja’s grit nearly defied odds; he and Bumrah gave India a genuine chance

Sportsmanship & Aftermath

• Despite fierce sledging on-field, after Siraj’s exit, England players consoled him, including Joe Root—a gesture praised widely

• The win gives England a 2–1 lead in this five-match series

Watch the Moment

Also check out Sky Sports for the full replay of that last-ball magic .

Match in a Flash

• Final Result: England beat India by 22 runs.

• Why it mattered: A tense Test for the ages—England edged; India fell agonizingly short. The last-ball twist is already legendary.

Significance

• Lord’s, with its unique slope and historic aura, added its own charm and unpredictability. One spin, one bounce can turn destiny.

• This finish echoes the 1999 heartbreak in Chennai—again, a freak deflection that fractured Indian hearts

• The intensity of Test cricket—the psychology, patience, skill, and drama—were all on display. As The Guardian noted, this match is “slow-burning intensity” at its peak

What’s Next

• Fourth Test at Old Trafford begins on July 23, 2025. With the series poised at 2–1, both teams will be chasing form, strategy, and resilience.