Alex Hales kept his nerve with 58 not out to see England home and square the international T20 series against India 1-1 with one to play in Cardiff on Friday. Set 149 to win off their 20 overs England needed 12 off the final over and Hales put Bhuvneshwar Kumar out of the Cardiff ground off the first ball and the second for four. A single followed and David Willey hit Kumar for the winning runs to set up the decider on Monday. Hales made his runs from 41 balls with four fours and three sixes to get his side over the line when they were faltering.

England's big hitters at the top of the order Jos Buttler and Jason Roy were both out cheaply trying to get the early run rate up to Umesh Kumar. Roy made 15 and Buttler just 14 before they were both dismissed by Umesh Yadav but Hales kept England in the game. He had struggled against the Indian spinners in the opening game in Manchester but played with more confidence here and Kuldeep Yadav who took five for 24 in the first game went wicketless. Jonny Bairstow launched him into the stands twice in his final over but the England man fell short when he holed out to Yadav off Kumar.