England delivered another commanding performance by defeating India by nine wickets in the third T20 International at Bristol on Thursday, securing an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the four-match series. The victory came after England had already handed the T20 world champions their biggest ever T20 defeat by runs in the previous match, showing complete dominance throughout the series.
Chasing a modest target of 159 runs, England captain Harry Brook played a sensational unbeaten knock of 79 runs from just 35 balls. Brook entertained the Bristol crowd with eight fours and four sixes, leading the chase with confidence and attacking intent. Opening batter Phil Salt provided excellent support, remaining unbeaten on 59 runs that included nine boundaries and one six. Together, the pair guided England to victory with more than six overs remaining, underlining the team’s batting strength.
Earlier, England’s bowling attack once again proved too strong for India. Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue claimed two wickets each, putting India under pressure from the start. Teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi managed only 15 runs off 10 balls before Archer dismissed him. Despite the early setbacks, India captain Shreyas Iyer stood firm with an unbeaten 80 runs from 49 deliveries, but he received little support from the rest of the batting lineup as India finished on 158 for 7.
The defeat marked India’s fifth consecutive T20 loss, following their unexpected 2-0 series defeat against Ireland in Belfast before this tour. England, meanwhile, have looked outstanding in every department, combining aggressive batting with disciplined fast bowling to outclass the visitors in all three matches so far.
With the series already decided, both teams will now head to Southampton for the fourth and final T20 on Saturday. England will aim to complete a clean sweep, while India will look to avoid a 4-0 whitewash and regain some confidence before their upcoming international fixtures.
