England seal first T20 series victory over India
Fourth T20 international, Bristol India 158-7 (20 overs): Shreyas 80 (49); Archer 2-20 England 159-1 (13.5 overs): Brook 79* (35), Salt 59* (42); Arshdeep 1-41
Fourth T20 international, Bristol India 158-7 (20 overs): Shreyas 80 (49); Archer 2-20 England 159-1 (13.5 overs): Brook 79* (35), Salt 59* (42); Arshdeep 1-41 England won by nine wickets, lead five-match series 3-0 Scorecard England sealed their first-ever T20 series victory over India as their opponents suffered a record fifth straight defeat in completed 20-over matches. Set 159 to win, Phil Salt and captain Harry Brook put on an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 144 as England cruised to their target in 13.5 overs in the fourth T20 at Bristol.
Brook powered 79 from 35 deliveries, while Salt hit 59 from 42 despite not scoring off his first nine balls. England now hold an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, winning the past three games in fine fashion after the first fixture at Chester-le-Street was washed-out. The run of defeats for India, coupled with two surprise losses to Ireland prior to this series, heaps the pressure on Shreyas Iyer, who took over the India T20 captaincy in early June. Shreyas played a valiant innings having chosen to bat, scoring an unbeaten 80 from 49 balls from number four, but he was offered little support by his team-mates as India finished 158-7.
Repeating their form from the past two matches, India batters too readily skied shots that dropped into the hands of waiting England fielders, with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi the first to fall, lifting Jofra Archer to Sam Curran for 15. Shivam Dube was the only other batter to make it out of the teens, hitting 22 from 23 balls in a 53-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shreyas, before he hit a Will Jacks delivery to Tom Banton at long-on. Archer, who finished with figures of 2-20, wrapped up the India innings with a neat bit of footwork, kicking the ball onto the stumps to beat Axar Patel's run from the non-striker's end.
The series concludes at Southampton on Saturday (14:30 BST), where back-to-back T20 world champions India will look to avoid going winless for the first time in a five-match 20-over series.
The BriefWire