| Player | Runs |
| Jos Buttler | 131 |
| Evin Lewis | 125* |
| Shane Watson | 124* |
Star England batters Jos Buttler and Harry Brook stole the show with the bat in the fifth T20I against India in Southampton. Despite losing his opening partner Phil Salt early, Buttler didnโt change his approach as he launched a scathing attack on Indian bowlers from the very beginning. He produced a breathtaking show, scoring 131 runs off 64 balls, while Harry Brook overcame two reprieves to hammer an unbeaten 95 off only 45.
Notably, Buttler and Brook stitched together an unbroken 215-run stand for the second wicket, powering England to 257 runs in the first innings. The partnership broke Sanju Samson and Tilak Varmaโs record for the highest-ever second-wicket stand in menโs T20Is. The Indian duo set the record of 210 runs against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2024.
Buttler was the chief aggressor, with 12 fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of 204.69. The innings is now the highest individual score against India in T20Is, eclipsing Evin Lewis’ unbeaten 125 in Kingston in 2017. It also ranks among Buttler’s finest knocks in the format, combining calculated strokeplay with relentless power hitting.
Highest individual scores vs India in T20Is
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The England captain, on the other hand, played the perfect supporting role before accelerating late in the innings. The 27-year-old struck four boundaries and eight sixes at a strike rate of 211.11. Indiaโs dropped efforts by Shivam Dube and Ishan Kishan eventually proved extremely costly as he capitalised with a brutal assault in the latter half of the innings.
Forgettable night for Indian bowlers
India’s bowlers endured a forgettable outing as none managed to contain England’s relentless attack. Dube claimed two wickets in the 19th over of the match but conceded 22 runs as well . Prasidh Krishna finished with 1 for 38, while Arshdeep Singh returned wicketless figures of 0 for 33.
Indiaโs former vice-captain Axar Patel, in the meantime, endured the toughest spell of his T20 career. He conceded 63 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket. His figures are now not only the most expensive by an Indian spinner against England in T20Is but also the costliest bowling analysis of Axar’s career across 319 T20 bowling innings. Prince Yadav also leaked 60 runs as none of Indiaโs plans worked well in the middle.ย
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