India lose back-to-back bilateral T20I series for first time since 2019

Bristol, July 10 (IANS) Captain Harry Brook produced a scintillating 79 not out off just 35 balls while Phil Salt remained unbeaten on 59 off 42 deliveries as England thrashed India by nine wickets with 37 balls to spare in the fourth T20I at the County Ground in Bristol, to clinch the five-match series 3-0 with one game to spare.

England created history by clinching their first-ever bilateral T20I series victory over India in a contest featuring two or more matches after a commanding nine-wicket win in the fourth T20I at the County Ground, Bristol.The victory handed Harry Brook's side an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after the opener was washed out, marking a landmark achievement against one of the strongest T20 teams in the world. The defeat also highlighted India's recent struggles in the format. It was the first time since February 2019 that India had lost back-to-back bilateral T20I series, having previously gone down 2-0 in Ireland earlier this year.

The last such instance came when India lost 2-1 in New Zealand before suffering a 2-0 home defeat against Australia in 2019.

Brook and Salt rewrite record books

England's emphatic chase of 159 was powered by an unbeaten 146-run stand between captain Harry Brook and opener Phil Salt, the fourth-highest partnership against India in T20I history and one of the biggest ever recorded in a successful chase.

Highest partnerships against India in T20Is

PartnershipTeamVenueYear174* - Quinton de Kock & David MillerSouth AfricaGuwahati2022170* - Alex Hales & Jos ButtlerEnglandAdelaide (T20 World Cup SF)2022152* - Babar Azam & Mohammad RizwanPakistanDubai (T20 World Cup)2021146 - Harry Brook & Phil Salt*EnglandBristol2026133 - David Warner & Shane WatsonAustraliaColombo (T20 World Cup)2012

Brook remained unbeaten on 79, while Salt finished with 59 not out, as England chased down the target in just 13.5 overs, winning with 37 balls to spare.

One of England's biggest chases

The clinical chase also entered England's record books. The victory was England's joint second-biggest win by wickets remaining in a successful 150-plus chase, equalling their nine-wicket triumph over South Africa in a 192-run chase at Cape Town in 2020. Only England's famous 10-wicket victory over India in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final, when they chased 169 without losing a wicket, ranks higher.Among Full Member nations, England's chase also became the joint fourth-fastest successful chase of a 150-plus target in terms of balls remaining.

Most balls remaining in successful 150-plus chases (Full Members)

Balls RemainingMatch60India vs New Zealand, Guwahati (2026)43New Zealand vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 202637West Indies vs South Africa, Kingston (2024)37England vs India, Bristol (2026)33England vs Pakistan, Lahore (2022)

Captains lead from the front

The Bristol contest also produced another rare milestone. It was the 37th Men's T20I in which both captains scored 50-plus, the 16th involving two Full Member nations, and the first-ever between India and England.