It was one-way traffic from the moment India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and asked England to bat first. What followed was a masterclass in white-ball batting that left the visitors shell-shocked and the Rose Bowl crowd roaring.
Phil Salt departed early, but the fireworks truly began when Jos Buttler and Harry Brook joined forces. The pair unleashed a stunning counterattack, plundering 233 runs for the second wicket — one of the highest stands in T20 history.
Buttler brought up a sensational 131 off just 64 balls, while Brook remained unbeaten on 95 from 45 deliveries. Their blistering partnership powered England to a commanding 257 for 3 in 20 overs, setting a total that always looked beyond India’s reach.
India’s chase got off to a shaky start as Abhishek Sharma fell cheaply. Sanju Samson showed positive intent but couldn’t last, and although Ishan Kishan (56 off 35) and Tilak Varma (53 off 25) provided flashes of brilliance with strike rates of 160 and 212 respectively, the middle order failed to build partnerships.
Shreyas Iyer’s promising knock ended at the hands of Liam Dawson, who was economical throughout. Sam Curran led the bowling attack with three crucial wickets as England defended the total comfortably.
With this 56-run victory, England have not only clinched the five-match series 4-0 (first match washed out) but also underlined their supremacy in the shortest format.
For India, the tour ends in disappointment, raising fresh questions about their overseas T20 strategy ahead of the next big assignment.
The result marks England’s first bilateral T20I series win over India in years and sends a strong message ahead of future white-ball encounters.
