India loses another series and T20 crisis deepens after latest heavy defeat to England

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BRISTOL, England (AP) — India lurched deeper into a crisis in cricket's Twenty20 format after slumping to a second straight series loss, with England taking an insurmountable 3-0 lead on the back of destructive half-centuries by Phil Salt and Harry Brook.

England won the 4th T20 of the five-match series by nine wickets and with 6.1 overs to spare on Thursday, sealing a first ever bilateral T20 series victory over India.

On the back of India’s stunning 2-0 series defeat in Ireland, it’s now five straight losses in completed T20 matches — another unwanted first for T20 world champion India. One of the matches against England was a washout.

India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss at the County Ground in Bristol, chose to bat and led his team to 158-7 in 20 overs, after rallying from 48-3 with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out for 15 in another disappointing outing. Iyer’s 49-ball innings included four fours and five sixes. England pacers Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue shared four wickets.

Brook, the England captain, smashed 79 not out off only 35 balls, with eight fours and four sixes. Opener Salt hit a 42-ball 59 not out. The pair came together at 13-1 after Jos Buttler was caught behind in the third over.

England had inflicted India’s biggest ever T20 loss by 125 runs in the third T20, with India dismissed for 76.

England won the second Twenty20 by four wickets when Sooryavanshi became the youngest man to play for India at 15 years and 99 days. He scored a 10-ball 14 on debut, followed by an innings of 13 in the third T20.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket