AHMEDABAD: India hammered England by 36 runs in the deciding fifth match Saturday to clinch their Twenty20 series 3-2.
Chasing a mammoth 225 for victory, England managed just 188 for eight in 20 overs despite a 68 from Dawid Malan. Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned impressive figures of 2-15 in Ahmedabad.
The two teams will now play three one-day internationals in Pune on March 23, 26 and 28.
Rohit Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as India reached 224 for two to set a new best Twenty20 score against England.
With the series level at 2-2, England won the toss in Ahmedabad, but Sharma blasted 64 and put on 94 with Kohli for the first wicket. India’s captain made an unbeaten 80.
Sharma hit five sixes in his 34-ball blitz before he dragged a slower leg-cutter from Ben Stokes onto his stumps.
Suryakumar Yadav kept up the attack with a flurry of sixes and fours in his 32 off 17 balls, but a stunning fielding maneuver by Chris Jordan cut short his innings.
Yadav hit an Adil Rashid ball to the boundary for a likely six and Jordan sprinted from long-on to attempt a one-handed catch.
He flicked the ball to Jason Roy who completed the relay catch with a laugh.
Kohli stood firm to complete his third 50 of the series and combined with Hardik Pandya as India surpassed their previous best of 218, against England in Durban in the 2007 World Cup.
Kohli, who hit seven fours and two sixes in his 52-ball knock, and Pandya, who smashed 39, put on 81 for the third wicket.
