Bristol: England registered a stunning batting masterclass, orchestrated by captain Harry Brook and Phil Salt’s explosive unbeaten 151-run partnership while chasing 159, to outclass India by nine wickets in just 13.5 overs in the fourth T20I, sealing the five-match series with an unassailable 3-0 lead. The emphatic victory marked a historic milestone for England, securing their first-ever bilateral T20I series triumph over India on Thursday, July 9, at the County Ground, Bristol.
The match began with India winning the toss and electing to bat first. India suffered a top-order collapse against England’s disciplined and ruthless pace attack. Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed for the second consecutive match by Jofra Archer after scoring 15 off 10 balls, while Ishan Kishan managed just 4 and Abhishek Sharma scored 16, leaving India struggling at 48/3 inside the first seven overs. However, captain Shreyas Iyer produced a captain’s innings to rescue India from another batting collapse. He anchored the innings before accelerating brilliantly during the death overs. With wickets tumbling around him, Iyer stood tall and led India’s recovery with a superb unbeaten 80 off 49 deliveries, including four fours and five sixes. He particularly targeted England’s veteran leg-spinner Adil Rashid, scoring an unbeaten 44 runs off just 16 deliveries against him, registering the third-highest number of runs scored by an Indian batter against a single bowler in a T20I innings. Shivam Dube (22 off 23) and Tilak Varma (11 off 8) played brief supporting roles alongside their captain, Iyer’s brilliant knock helped India cross the 150-run mark. India eventually finished on 158/7 in their 20 overs. Once again, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue spearheaded England’s ruthless pace attack. Archer finished with outstanding figures of 2/20 at an impressive economy rate of 5.00, while Tongue also delivered an impressive performance, finishing with figures of 2/36.
Defending a modest total of 159, India found early momentum as Arshdeep Singh dismissed Jos Buttler for 8 off 8 balls. However, that momentum completely vanished when skipper Harry Brook unleashed a breathtaking assault on India’s bowling attack, showcasing sensational strokeplay all around the ground. He reached his half-century in just 21 balls before finishing with a magnificent unbeaten 79 off only 35 deliveries, smashing eight fours and four sixes. He found the perfect support from the non-striker’s end in Phil Salt, who remained unbeaten on 59. The duo stitched together a stunning 151-run partnership for the second wicket. The stand became the fourth-highest partnership against India in T20I history. England chased down the target in just 13.5 overs, securing a dominant nine-wicket victory with 37 balls to spare. The Indian bowling attack was completely dismantled in front of the outstanding batting performances of Brook and Salt. Captain Harry Brook was deservedly named the Player of the Match after delivering a brilliant innings that guided England to a commanding victory.
With this victory, England secured their first-ever bilateral T20I series win over India. It was also the first time since February 2019 that India had suffered back-to-back bilateral T20I series defeats, after previously losing 2-0 to Ireland. India will now look to salvage pride in the fifth and final match of the series, scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Southampton.
