England captain Harry Brook says his side are determined to finish the T20I series against India in style, with a 4-0 result and the world No. 1 ranking both on offer in Southampton on July 11.
Series wrapped up with a game in hand
England sealed the five-match series with a nine-wicket win in the fourth T20I. Brook was unbeaten on 79 from 35 balls and Phil Salt stayed not out on 59, and their stand of 146 took England past India’s 158 with over six overs remaining.
The ranking incentive
With the series decided, England still have plenty to play for. A victory in the last match would see them overtake India, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, at the top of the men’s T20I rankings.
Brook said a 4-0 scoreline would be a very special series win and that reaching No. 1 would make it better. He revealed the players had been told that winning the next game would take them to the top, which he described as their main aim, and said they wanted to win convincingly again.
Respect for the opposition
Brook also praised the way England have carried out their plans and kept their standards up through the series. He accepted that India are a strong team who have probably not played to the level of the last couple of years.
England now go into the finale chasing a 4-0 sweep, while India will try to avoid a whitewash and end the tour on a better note.
