India surrendered their No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I rankings as England completed a dominant 4-0 series whitewash with a commanding 56-run victory in the fifth and final T20I at the Utilita Bowl on Saturday. A record-breaking partnership between Jos Buttler and Harry Brook powered the hosts to their highest-ever T20I total against India before they comfortably defended it to cap a one-sided series.
Asked to bat after India opted to bowl, England suffered an early setback when Prasidh Krishna dismissed Phil Salt for six. However, Buttler and captain Brook turned the game on its head with a sensational 233-run partnership for the second wicket, adding the runs in just 102 deliveries.
Buttler returned to form in emphatic fashion, smashing 131 off 64 balls, including 12 fours and eight sixes, while reaching his century in only 51 deliveries. Brook matched his aggression with an unbeaten 95 from just 45 balls as the Indian bowlers struggled to contain the relentless assault. Shivam Dube eventually dismissed Buttler, while Jacob Bethell fell for a duck, but England still finished with a daunting 257/3 — the highest total ever posted against India in T20 internationals.
Chasing 258, India never recovered after losing Abhishek Sharma for three in the opening overs. Sanju Samson made 27 before departing, leaving Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma to revive the innings. Kishan struck a fluent 56 off 35 balls, while Tilak produced a blistering 53 from only 24 deliveries to briefly keep India's hopes alive.
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England, however, struck at crucial moments. Kishan's innings ended with a superb catch by Phil Salt off Adil Rashid, while Tilak fell immediately after reaching his half-century. Shreyas Iyer scored 28 and Shivam Dube added 14, but wickets continued to fall as the required run rate climbed beyond reach. Axar Patel and Suryansh Shedge also failed to make an impact as India finished on 201/8.
The defeat completed a disappointing tour for India, with captain Shreyas Iyer still searching for his first win in the role despite changes to the playing XI. England, on the other hand, dominated throughout the series with superior batting, disciplined bowling and sharp fielding. The comprehensive victory not only sealed a 4-0 clean sweep but also propelled England to the top of the ICC T20I rankings, ending India's stay at the summit.
Brief scorecard
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