Turning Point: Thakur's Double Strike

Defending a total has been near impossible in the ongoing T20I series, but India's bowlers, despite being hampered by dew, lifted the hosts to a hard earned eight-run victory in the fourth T20 International in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

• Scorecard

Suryakumar Yadav smashed 57 to lift India to a competitive 185/8 in their 20 overs -- their highest total of the series after they were put into bat.

The Indian bowlers had their task cut, especially after failing to defend totals in the last two games India was sent into bat.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave India the perfect start when he got the dangerous Jos Buttler caught at mid-off for nine in the third over.

But Jason Roy went on the attack after England's slow start to put the visitors back in the reckoning. However, his dismissal for 40 in the ninth over saw India take control of the contest.

With the asking rate nearing 12 runs per over, the big-hitting Ben Stokes then took charge as he smashed Washington Sundar for a four and a six in the 12th over.

Rahul Chahar was slammed for a straight six in the very next over before Jonny Bairstow took Sundar to the cleaners with a six and couple of fours to raise the 50-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Leg-spinner Chahar was hit for another six and a four by Stokes in the 15th over as the left-hander looked to take the game away from the Indians.

Courtesy Stokes and Bairstow's counter-attack, England brought the chase under control with 46 needed from four overs for victory.

Captain Virat Kohli went off the field at this point with some problem in his leg as Vice-Captain Rohit Sharma took charge.

Rohit summoned Mumbai team-mate Shardul Thakur to bowl the 17th over. That proved a masterstroke as Thakur struck first ball with Stokes' wicket; the left-hander failed to time the slower ball and ended up holing out to long-off in his attempt to clear the straight boundary.

Stokes had smashed his way to an entertaining 46 from 23 balls. Captain Eoin Morgan perished off the very next delivery, caught in the deep off another Thakur slower ball.

Though Jofra Archer kept the result on edge in the final over when 23 runs were needed with a four and six, Thakur -- who bowled two wides in that over -- constantly counselled by Rohit and Hardik Pandya kept his cool to bowl India to a series-levelling win.