India vs England: Tourists win third T20 by 26 runs to keep series alive

England will take heart from their victory but there were still familiar failings for Brendon McCullum’s side as they continued to struggle against India’s battery of spinners.

They have now lost 18 wickets to turning deliveries in this series, a record for England in T20 series, beating the 14 they twice lost to New Zealand in 2019 and 2023.

Harry Brook has rarely hit a speedbump in his international career, but was bowled cheaply by a spinner for a third match in a row, under-edging onto his stumps for eight off Ravi Bishnoi.

The Yorkshire batter, who is averaging 12.66 in the series, was one of six England batters in their top nine who was dismissed for single figures.

Jamie Smith, who impressed on debut in Chennai, became the first of four successive Chakravarthy wickets, caught by Dhruv Jurel at mid-wicket.

Overton was bowled around his legs from the following delivery before Carse found Varma at square leg and Archer had his stumps uprooted by a ball that spun hard.

Two wickets from seamer Pandya book-ended the seven lost to spin, with the right-armer taking the opening wicket when Phil Salt drove straight to Abhishek Sharma.

The England opener’s score of five was his best of the series, and he has not made it past the second over of an innings.

Pandya removed Livingstone, but not before the all-rounder had got stuck in with customary gusto, including three sixes from one Bishnoi over, scoring the runs that ultimately took England to victory, while Rashid and Wood also shared a vital stand of 24.