ENG vs IND 5th T20I: Buttler’s century powers England to 4-0 series sweep, top ICC T20I rankings

Jos Buttler rediscovered his best with a stunning century as England completed a dominant 4-0 T20I series sweep over India, sealing a 56-run victory in the fifth and final match at the Rose Bowl on Saturday to climb to the top of the ICC Men’s T20I rankings.

The defeat capped a miserable T20I campaign for the reigning world champions, who failed to register a single victory in the five-match series after the opener was washed out. It also marked India’s sixth successive defeat in the format, piling further pressure on the Shreyas Iyer-led side ahead of the ODI leg of the tour.

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Asked to bat first after a delayed toss, England recovered from the early loss of Phil Salt to produce a batting masterclass. Buttler smashed a magnificent 131 off 64 balls, while captain Harry Brook remained unbeaten on 95, as the pair stitched together a record-breaking 233-run partnership for the second wicket, the fourth-highest stand in men’s T20I history.

Brook set the tone with a blistering half-century off just 19 deliveries before Buttler accelerated spectacularly, bringing up his hundred in just 51 balls to end an 18-innings wait for a T20I fifty-plus score.

India’s bowlers struggled to contain England’s relentless assault, while a sloppy fielding effort only compounded their problems. Brook survived two dropped chances, while Buttler was also reprieved, allowing both batters to make India pay heavily. England eventually posted a daunting 257/3, with Shivam Dube (2/22) the lone bright spot for the visitors with the ball.

Needing their highest successful T20I chase, India began positively as Sanju Samson, returning to the XI, struck a quickfire 27 and took the attack to Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue in the powerplay.

However, England quickly regained control once Archer removed Abhishek Sharma before Sam Curran dismissed Samson. Captain Shreyas Iyer’s brisk 28 provided brief hope, but his dismissal left India chasing the game.

Ishan Kishan fought back with an entertaining 56 off 32 balls, registering his half-century in just 30 deliveries, while Tilak Varma added a late 53 to reduce the margin of defeat. But the target remained well beyond reach as Sam Curran’s incisive spell and Adil Rashid’s control through the middle overs ensured England closed out the contest comfortably.

Curran claimed 3 for 36, dismissing Shivam Dube and Suryansh Shedge in quick succession to extinguish India’s hopes, while Rashid finished with 2 for 24 in his landmark 150th T20I appearance.

England’s emphatic victory not only sealed a commanding 4-0 series triumph but also lifted them above India to the summit of the ICC Men’s T20I team rankings, underlining their resurgence under Harry Brook.

Captains take at toss

INDIA CAPTAIN SHREYAS IYER:

“We’re going to bowl first. The wicket won’t change much, and we’ve seen everything in this series, so we’re up for the challenge. What I want from the players is a solid mindset , no sulking, just staying in the moment and not thinking about what’s already happened. We’ve made two changes due to injuries: Shedge comes in for Washington, and Sanju replaces Sooryavanshi. It’s about adapting quickly, keeping focus, and executing our plans with clarity.”

ENGLAND CAPTAIN HARRY BROOK:

“We would have batted anyway. Happy with how things have gone so far. If we win today we go to the No.1 Spot. Happy for Adil he is playing his 150th game and he has been around for us and has been delivering, very happy for him

Playing XIs

England: Harry Brook (capt), Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue.

India: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.