Siraj’s Spell Secures Thrilling Win as India Beat England by 6 Runs at The Oval

India clinched a dramatic six-run victory over England at The Oval, with pace bowler Mohammad Siraj delivering a match-winning performance. Siraj took five wickets in the final innings—three of them on the fifth morning—as England were bowled out for 367, falling just seven runs short of their target of 374.

The match reached a thrilling climax when Siraj shattered Gus Atkinson’s stumps to seal the win, turning the tide after nearly becoming the villain a day earlier. He had misjudged a catch of Harry Brook near the boundary, gifting England six crucial runs and raising doubts within the Indian camp.

However, the right-arm quick made a stunning comeback on the final day. With England starting at 339 for 6, needing only 35 more runs, Siraj struck early, dismissing Jamie Smith with a fine outswinger. Smith managed just 2 runs off 20 balls before edging to keeper Dhruv Jurel.

England’s hopes rested on lower-order batters Jamie Overton and Gus Atkinson. They attempted to steady the innings, but Siraj returned to trap Overton lbw, further tightening the noose. England then lost Josh Tongue, bowled by Prasidh Krishna, reducing them to their final pair with 17 runs still needed.

Despite Chris Woakes coming out to bat with a dislocated shoulder, England fought back valiantly. Atkinson even hit a six to reduce the target to single digits. But with just 7 runs remaining, Siraj produced a lethal delivery that clean bowled Atkinson, sealing India’s remarkable win.

Earlier in the match, India had posted 224 runs in their first innings, trailing by 23 after England managed 247. In their second innings, India recovered from 70/2 with a 107-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep. Jaiswal scored a brilliant 118 off 164 balls, while Akash added 66. Contributions from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, both scoring fifties, took the total to 396—setting England a challenging 374-run target.

England’s chase began confidently, with Joe Root and Harry Brook putting on a massive 195-run stand after the team was 106/3. Both batters reached centuries—Root with 105 and Brook with 111—but their dismissals opened the door for India.

England ended Day 4 at 339/6, just 35 runs shy of victory. With fans anticipating a tense finish, the final day delivered high drama. Mohammad Siraj’s final spell, combined with India’s relentless pressure, ensured one of the most exciting Test match finishes in recent memory—bringing the series level.