India level Twenty20 series despite Archer’s best efforts
Jofra Archer came close to carrying England over the line with a stunning all-round performance but India held on to set up a Twenty20 decider with an eight-run victory.
Archer had already taken career-best figures of four for 33 as India posted 185 for eight and then found himself making an unexpected late charge with the bat.
Having never batted before in a T20 international he was in the thick of battle with an improbable ask of 22 from the last five deliveries of the match. He smashed Shardul Thakur for four, then six and watched as the seamer's next two attempts were called wide.
A blockbuster finish appeared to be on the cards but Archer smashed his bat swinging hard at the next ball, which may well have been another wide had he not made contact, and the bowler recovered to close out the win.
The teams now face a winner-takes-all clash tomorrow, with the scores locked at 2-2.
On each of the three previous occasions the team batting second had won the game at a canter and, after winning the toss, England may well reflect on this as a missed opportunity.
Ben Stokes did more than anyone to turn the tables, racing to 46 in 23 balls, but when Thakur dismissed him and Eoin Morgan with consecutive balls it proved a hammer blow.
Rohit Sharma started the day's play in style, planting Adil Rashid's first ball all the way over long-off. That was as good as it got for him, though, adding just six more in 11 balls before chipping a meek return catch back to Archer.
That brought Suryakumar Yadav to the crease and he announced himself in style by whipping his first ball high into the stands beyond fineleg. Archer could only laugh at the audacity.
He led the scoring all the way until his departure for a fine 57. By the time he departed England had already chipped away another couple of wickets, Stokes claiming KL Rahul and Virat Kohli stumped for one off Rashid.
From 128 for four after 15 overs, the action came thick and fast with another 57 runs and four wickets, before Archer removed both as he wrapped up a personal best haul of four for 33.