India clinched an eight-run win against England in the fourth T20I at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday to level the five-match series at 2-2 and set up a thrilling series decider for Saturday. 

Chasing a 186-run target, opener Jason Roy (40) gave England  a brisk start, although the visitors lost Jos Buttler (9) early in the innings. 

India rattled the visitors after dismissing Dawid Malan (14) and Roy in quick succession before a 65-run stand between Jonny Bairstow (25) and Ben Stokes (46) put England in a strong position. 

Also Read | Rohit Sharma becomes 2nd Indian after Virat Kohli to score 9,000 T20 runs

England’s hopes of a victory seemed all but over after three quick wickets got Stokes, Bairstow and skipper Eoin Morgan (4) out. However, a late flourish from pacer Jofra Archer, who scored 18 runs from 8 deliveries threatened to seal the win for the visitors. 

With England needing 23 runs from the final six balls, Archer smashed 11 runs off three balls off Shardul Thakur, who then bowled consecutive wides to pile the pressure on the hosts. However, he made amends later, claiming the wicket of Chris Jordan and bowling a dot off the final delivery to clinch the win. 

Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav’s quickfire maiden T20I fifty helped India score a competitive 185 for the loss of eight wickets.  

The 30-year-old Maharashtra batsman, replacing his Mumbai Indians teammate Ishan Kishan in the squad for only his second T20I appearance, struck six fours and three sixes in his 31-ball 57-run knock. 

Also Read | Best T20 batsman, champion player: Batting coach, Virat Kohli support struggling KL Rahul

Archer was the pick of the English bowlers with a four-wicket haul from his four-over spell, while conceding 33 runs. 

It was an all-too familiar story at the top of the order for India, with opener Rohit Sharma caught and bowled by Archer after a lively start to his run-a-ball 12. KL Rahul (14) couldn’t snap his lean scoring run with Ben Stokes claiming his wicket. 

Skipper Virat Kohli (1) was unable to extend a run of consecutive fifties, as he was cheaply dismissed by Adil Rashid. Yadav added 40 runs to the board along with wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant (35) before perishing to Sam Curran. 

The hosts had the momentum after Shreyas Iyer’s late flourish, scoring a 18-ball-37, but Archer took two wickets in the final over to cap a strong performance.