Under pressure captain Shreyas Iyer delivered a fighting half-century as India posted a competitive 158 for 7 in their 20 overs in the fourth T20I against England at the County Ground. England now need 159 to win and extend their 2-0 series lead.
Iyer top-scored with an aggressive 80 off just 49 balls, providing the backbone to India’s innings after an early stutter. Axar Patel remained not out on 1 off 2 as the visitors closed their innings. The knock came at a crucial time for Iyer, who is yet to secure a T20I win as India captain and whose team suffered a humiliating 125-run defeat in the previous match at Trent Bridge.
India elected to bat first after winning the toss in this do-or-die encounter. The batting lineup, featuring a record eight left-handers, struggled initially but found momentum through Iyer’s efforts. England’s bowlers, including Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, applied pressure with economical spells.
This result follows England’s dominant start to the five-match series. After a washout in the opener, the hosts have been clinical, with their pace attack dismantling India’s batting in Nottingham. India, sitting at 2-0 down, desperately needed a strong total to keep the series alive heading into the final game.
Iyer’s innings offered hope for the visitors, but the total appears below par on a surface that has favored batters earlier. England’s chase will test their batting depth against India’s varied attack, including spinners Washington Sundar and Axar Patel alongside pacers Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna.
The match underscores ongoing challenges for India’s white-ball setup in overseas conditions, with young talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi still adapting at the international level. A victory for England here would seal the series, while India must produce their best to force a decider in Southampton.
