England secured the top spot in the world Twenty20 international rankings with a decisive 56-run victory over India in the fifth and final T20 match at Southampton. The dominant performance, highlighted by Jos Buttler's career-best 131 and Harry Brook's rapid 95 not out, clinched the five-match series for England with a 4-0 margin.
Buttler's explosive innings, which came after a period of lean scores, marked his highest individual total in his T20 career. He shared a record-breaking 233-run partnership with captain Harry Brook, who contributed an unbeaten 95 off just 45 deliveries. This partnership fueled England's total of 257-3 in 20 overs, their third-highest T20 international score and their highest against India.
In response, India managed 201-8 in their 20 overs. Despite half-centuries from Ishan Kishan (56 off 35 balls) and Tilak Varma (53 off 25 balls), India's batting lineup struggled to keep pace with England's imposing total. England's bowlers, led by Sam Curran with figures of 3-36, effectively contained the Indian chase.
This series loss marks a significant setback for India, who were considered the number one ranked team before the match. It is the first time India has failed to win a single match in a five-game T20 series and extends their streak of consecutive T20 defeats to six, including earlier losses to Ireland. England's commanding performance in this series led to them reclaiming the top ranking in T20 internationals from their opponents.
The two teams are scheduled to continue their competition with a five-match One Day International (ODI) series, commencing on Tuesday at Edgbaston.