Formidable England seal first-ever T20 series win over India

BRISTOL, England, July 9 : England cruised to their first-ever T20 series victory over India with 37 balls to spare as the tourists fell to a record fifth consecutive loss in completed 20-over matches.

After the hosts were set 159 to win, Phil Salt and Harry Brook enjoyed an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 146 off 70 balls as England reached their target in 13.5 overs.

Captain Brook scored 79 from 35 balls, while Salt struck 59 from 42 after failing to score off his first nine balls.

Salt celebrated with Brook after hitting Arshdeep Singh out to point for the winning run in the fourth T20.

England have an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after comfortably winning the last three games, including Tuesday's 125-run win at Trent Bridge, with the first match at Chester-le-Street having been washed out.

India's captain Shreyas Iyer, who took over as T20 skipper in June, is under increasing pressure after the run of losses following two shock defeats by Ireland before this series.

Shreyas himself put in a fine display, having chosen to bat, with an unbeaten 80 from 49 balls batting at four, but the rest of his team failed to shine as the tourists finished on 158-7.

India's 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the first to lose his wicket as he hit Jofra Archer to Sam Curran for 15.

Shivam Dube was the only batter other than 31-year-old Shreyas to make any impression. He was out for 22 off 23 balls in a 53-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shreyas.

He struck a Will Jacks delivery to Tom Banton at long-on.

Archer (2-20) finished off the India innings by kicking the ball onto the stumps to claim the wicket of Axar Patel as the batter got there too late from the non-striker's end.

"This is the transition phase and we will be making a lot of mistakes," Shreyas said. "Again, it was a disappointing one."

England will replace the world champions as the top-ranked T20I side with a clean sweep on Saturday in Southampton, where struggling India will look to avoid being without a win in a five-match 20-over series for the first time.

"It would be pretty cool for us to be world number one, to be honest," Brook said.

"That is definitely an aim. If we keep doing what we have been doing and stick to our guns, hopefully we will come out 4-0."

England have now won 19 out of 22 completed T20Is since Brook took over as captain last year.

(Writing by Ken Ferris; Editing by Christian Radnedge)