England secured their first-ever T20 series victory over India in Bristol yesterday. The hosts comfortably beat India in the fourth T20 international, leading the five-match series 3-0.
This win means England has sealed their first T20 series victory over India. England now hold an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, winning the past three games in fine fashion after the first fixture at Chester-le-Street was washed out. India, meanwhile, suffered a record fifth straight defeat in completed 20-over matches.
A Dominant Chase in Bristol
England were set a target of 159 runs to win. They cruised to their target in 13.5 overs in the fourth T20 at Bristol, securing a nine-wicket victory. Phil Salt and captain Harry Brook put on an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 144.
Brook powered an unbeaten 79 runs from 35 deliveries. Salt contributed 59 runs from 42 balls, despite not scoring off his first nine deliveries. Arshdeep took 1-41 for India.
India’s Innings and Shreyas Iyer’s Pressure
India batted first, finishing their 20 overs on 158-7. Captain Shreyas Iyer played a valiant innings, scoring an unbeaten 80 runs from 49 balls from number four. Shreyas was offered little support by his team-mates.
Repeating their form from the past two matches, India batters too readily skied shots that dropped into the hands of waiting England fielders. 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the first batter to fall, lifting Jofra Archer to Sam Curran for 15 runs. Shivam Dube was the only batter other than the captain to make it out of the teens, hitting 22 runs from 23 balls.
Dube shared a 53-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shreyas, before he hit a Will Jacks delivery to Tom Banton at long-on. Jofra Archer finished with figures of 2-20. Archer wrapped up the India innings with a neat bit of footwork, kicking the ball on to the stumps to beat Axar Patel’s run from the non-striker’s end.
The run of defeats for India, coupled with two surprise losses to Ireland prior to this series, heaps pressure on Shreyas Iyer. Shreyas took over the India T20 captaincy in early June. The 31-year-old was named skipper prior to the series in Ireland, despite not having played a T20 international since 2023. He replaced the dropped Suryakumar Yadav, who had led India to a second successive T20 World Cup in March.
Shreyas led Kolkata Knight Riders to the Indian Premier League title in 2024 and captained Punjab Kings to a runners-up finish in 2025. However, international leadership has proven more challenging for him. On a baking night in Bristol, new captain Shreyas will now be facing the heat of scrutiny from India’s press and public. In his first match in charge, India lost to Ireland for the first time.
Series Finale Approaches
The five-match series will conclude at Southampton on Saturday, with play scheduled for 14:30 BST. Back-to-back T20 world champions India will look to avoid going winless for the first time in a five-match 20-over series.