Match Report: England vs India, 4th T20I, Bristol
England clinched an emphatic 9-wicket victory over India
at the County Ground in Bristol, taking an unassailable lead of 3-0 in the five-match
series. England won three straight games after the first one was washed away by rain.
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| Image Credits: Cricinfo |
Opting to bat first, India’s top order suffered another
collapse, restricted early on by the excellent bowling of Jofra Archer (2 for
20) and Josh Tongue (2 for 36). Indian captain Shreyas Iyer stood out as the lone
warrior for the visitors, playing a sparkling, unbeaten knock of 80* runs off
just 49 balls. Despite his heroics, the rest of the lineup failed to fired
effectively, dragging India to a below-par total of 158/7 in their 20
overs.
In reply, England made a mockery of the chase. Opening
batsman Phil Salt and captain Harry Brook relentlessly punished the Indian
bowling attack. Brook led from the front with a blistering 79* off 35
balls, including a lightning-fast 21-ball fifty. Salt anchored beautifully
from the other end, cruising to 59* as the duo shared an unbeaten century
partnership to cross the finish line in just 13.5 overs.
Series Context
With this commanding victory, England takes a 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series (the first match was abandoned due to rain). It is a tough pill to swallow for India under new captain Shreyas Iyer, as they face an uphill battle to find the right team combination ahead of the dead-rubber 5th T20I in Southampton on Saturday (Jul 11).
