India delivered a dominant performance in the final T20I at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Abhishek Sharma’s outstanding all-round effort helped India secure a 4-1 series win.

England Struggles in the Chase

Chasing a massive target of 248 runs, England collapsed under pressure. They were bowled out for just 97 runs in 10.3 overs. Philip Salt, however, fought valiantly, scoring 55 off 23 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, with an impressive strike rate of 239.13. Despite his efforts, the rest of the England batting line-up crumbled. Jacob Bethell was the second-highest scorer with just 10 runs. Moreover, experienced players like Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, and Liam Livingstone failed to make an impact, making England’s defeat inevitable.

India’s Bowlers Shine

India’s bowlers were exceptional throughout. Mohammed Shami led the attack, claiming three wickets for 25 runs in 2.3 overs. Additionally, Varun Chakravarthy and Shivam Dube supported well, each taking two wickets. Furthermore, Abhishek Sharma made a significant contribution, taking two wickets in just one over while conceding only three runs. Ravi Bishnoi also chipped in with a wicket, giving away just nine runs in his over.

India’s Batting Dominates

Earlier, India’s openers, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, set the tone from the start. They aggressively took on Jofra Archer, scoring 16 runs in the first over. However, Samson was dismissed for just 16 runs. After his departure, Tilak Varma joined Abhishek, and together, they continued the onslaught, bringing up 50 runs in just four overs. Abhishek soon reached his half-century in a rapid 17 balls, hitting three fours and five sixes. In fact, he went on to score the fifth-fastest T20I century ever, and the second-fastest by an Indian, just behind Yuvraj Singh’s famous 2007 World Cup knock. India kept up the momentum, crossing 100 runs in the seventh over. However, Brydon Carse struck in the ninth over, dismissing Tilak Varma for 24 when the score stood at 136. Carse picked up another key wicket, removing captain Suryakumar Yadav for just two runs. Despite these wickets, India maintained their aggressive approach and reached 150 by the 12th over. Shivam Dube then added a valuable 30 runs before falling to Carse. By the 16th over, India had crossed the 200-run mark. Abhishek Sharma continued to dominate, but his excellent knock of 135 runs ended in the 18th over when Adil Rashid dismissed him with India’s total at 237. Despite losing wickets regularly, India finished strong, posting a massive total of 247/9 in 20 overs.

England’s Bowling Efforts

Brydon Carse was the standout bowler for England, taking three wickets for 38 runs. Mark Wood took two wickets, while Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, and Adil Rashid each claimed one wicket.