IND vs ENG: A ruthless England performance saw the hosts dismantle India by 9 wickets in the fourth T20I at Bristol, clinically wrapping up the five-match series 3-0 on July 9. It was an absolute power-show from England, who chased down a target of 159 in just 13.5 overs.
Shreyas Iyer’s Lone Rescue Act
Having won the toss, Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer elected to bat first on a surface where stroke-making initially looked challenging. The decision failed to pay immediate dividends as the top-order buckled early against England’s disciplined new-ball attack. Openers Abhishek Sharma (16) and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (15) threatened briefly but couldn’t sustain momentum. When Ishan Kishan fell cheaply for just 4, India was left reeling.
Iyer, however, seemed to be playing on an entirely different surface. The captain stepped up to play a magnificent, calculated knock of an unbeaten 80 off just 49 deliveries, punctuated by four boundaries and five massive sixes. He anchored a stabilizing partnership with Shivam Dube (22) and later accelerated heavily, taking 20 runs off an Adil Rashid over to drag India to a respectable 158/7 in their 20 overs. Jofra Archer (2/20) and Josh Tongue (2/36) were the pick of the English bowlers.
The Salt & Brook Storm
If India expected a fight from their bowling unit, they were in for a rude awakening. England’s response was nothing short of an archival blitzkrieg. Despite losing Jos Buttler early to Arshdeep Singh for 8, opener Phil Salt and skipper Harry Brook completely tore into the visitors’ bowling attack.
Salt laid into the pacers from the word go, blasting 59 off 42 balls with 9 boundaries and a six. At the other end, Brook matched him blow-for-blow, exploding for a breathtaking 79* off just 35 deliveries, which included 8 fours and 4 towering maximums. The Indian bowling lineup—including Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Axar Patel—had absolutely no answers to the onslaught, leaking runs at well over 11 per over.
England eventually cruised across the line with 37 balls to spare, with Brook signing off the victory in style by dispatching Arshdeep over the ropes followed by an extra and a single.
