England secured a series-clinching victory over India in the third T20I, powered by half-centuries from Harry Brook and Phil Salt. Despite a valiant unbeaten 80 from Shreyas Iyer, India fell short, handing England the series win with one match to spare.
Match Summary
Chasing a target of 198, England reached 199/5 with 3 balls to spare. Brook scored 78 off 42 balls, while Salt contributed 64 off 38. Their 135-run partnership for the second wicket laid the foundation for the chase. For India, Arshdeep Singh took 2 wickets, but the bowling attack failed to defend the total.
Iyer's Lone Battle
Earlier, Shreyas Iyer played a brilliant knock of 80* off 52 balls, anchoring India's innings after early wickets. He hit 8 fours and 3 sixes. However, lack of support from the other end meant India could only post 197/7 in 20 overs. According to Iyer, "We were 15-20 runs short, and their openers took the game away."
Series Implications
The defeat is particularly alarming for the reigning T20 world champions, who have now lost back-to-back series within four months of their title triumph in Ahmedabad on March 8. England's win marks a significant turnaround after losing the ODI series earlier in the tour.
Key Performances
Brook's innings featured 6 fours and 4 sixes, while Salt smashed 7 fours and 3 sixes. For India, Hardik Pandya contributed 25 runs and took 1 wicket, but it wasn't enough. England's bowlers, led by Chris Jordan (2/32), kept the Indian batsmen in check during the death overs.
