India have secured a 3-2 T20 series win over England after a thumping victory in Ahmedabad.
The hosts mammoth total of 225-2 proved too much for the tourists who slipped to a 36-run defeat.
India captain Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 80 to lead their charge, while Rohit Sharma had 64 runs from 34 balls.
England remained unchanged from Thursday’s defeat, while India opted for one tweak with KL Rahul dropping out for an extra bowler in T. Natarajan, with Kohli opening with Rohit.
India’s innings starts strongly
Right from the offset India showed the intent needed to win big games as they took on the England attack and raced to 94-0, with Rohit making his 22nd international T20 50.
Ben Stokes finally made a long-awaited breakthrough as he bowled Rohit for 64 to break a frustrating partnership.
Despite this, the introduction of Suryakumar Yadav to the crease continued to frustrate England. He and Kohli continued to go after their bowlers and it was only an unbelievable bit of fielding that broke up the partnership.
Suryakumar tried to hit Adil Rashid for six but only picked out Chris Jordan with a stunning one-handed grab on a run, before throwing it into the hands of Jason Roy.
Despite India being 142-2, they showed no signs of resting and went to town on England, showing them no mercy.
India’s innings finally came to an end on a superb 225-2 and left England with an uphill task if they were to win the series.
England’s innings gets off to a nightmare start
England’s chase could not have started worse as with the second ball of their innings, Roy was walking back to the pavilion after a superb delivery from Bhuvneshwar Kumar sent the Surrey opener’s stumps flying.
Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler then got England underway and showed the attacking intent needed to chase down India’s mammoth target.
Malan soon reached his half-century off of 33 deliveries and this was followed by a special milestone as he became to fastest man to reach 1,000 international T20 runs – reaching this feat in just 24 matches.
Then came the moment that changed the game and switched it right back in India’s favour as Buttler could only pick out Hardik and departed for 52, leaving England 130-2 from 13 overs.
Jonny Bairstow soon followed as he tried to hit Shardul Thakur for six, but did not get anywhere near enough on it and Suryakumar made a simple catch.
England’s collapse continued as Malan’s innings of 63 ended with him being bowled by Thakur, before three balls later Eoin Morgan could only pick out sub fielder Rahul to leave England 142-5 and the game slipping away.
With England needing a massive 80 from just 23 balls, Ben Stokes tried to launch Natarajan down the ground but could only get a nick on the ball, which went through to Rishabh Pant.
Jofra Archer then looked consigned to defeat as he was just caught short of his crease and run out for one.
Jordan then picked out Suryakumar in the deep after making 11 to leave England 174-8 and with the game over.
England ended with some big hitting to make their score somewhat more respectable as they ended on 188-8 but India secured a comfortable 36-run victory.
Virat Kohli named man-of-the-series
Kohli secured the man-of-the-series award as well as scoring the most runs with 231.
Thakur picked up the most wickets with eight, with Archer just behind on seven.
Three ODIs will conclude England’s tour of India, all taking place at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, with coverage of the first ODI starting on Tuesday at 8am, live on Sky Sports Cricket.
By Josh Mann