England lose series

Knowing they needed to avoid defeat to prevent India from taking an unassailable 4-0 lead in the series after being beaten in the previous matches in Rajkot, Indore and Kanpur, the tourists were once again humbled by the ferocity of India's top order.

India overcame two interruptions for rain and adjustment in overs to power their way to a daunting 166 for four in their 22 overs, giving England a Duckworth-Lewis victory target of 198. The visitors' confused policy during the series was then further exposed when, needing nine runs an over, they chose to delay big-hitters like Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff and were restricted to 178 for eight in reply.

Despite an 82-run stand off 48 balls between Owais Shah and Flintoff, England's inevitable defeat was effectively sealed when both batsmen fell in successive overs during the batting powerplay just as the tourists needed a big finale to their innings.

England's fourth successive defeat underlined the gulf in class between the two sides despite the tourists landing in India less than three weeks ago with confidence brimming from claiming a 4-0 home success against South Africa just two months earlier.

In the opening four matches of this series England's gameplan has been completely undermined with India's top order consistently dominating their attack, not least on Sunday when they raced to 106 for one off just 17 overs with Virender Sehwag (69) leading the way when rain halted play for the second time.

If that was not punishment enough, England then watched helplessly as India added 60 runs in the five overs remaining after the re-start with Yuvraj Singh again demonstrating his explosive strokeplay to finish unbeaten on 25 from just 11 balls.

Needing an explosive start chasing such a massive total, England surprisingly kept faith with Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara to start the innings but it was a decision which backfired spectacularly.

Bopara fell to the seventh ball of England's reply, brilliantly caught by Ishant Sharma at mid-on, but by then they were already struggling to keep up with the required rate.

Shah brilliantly propelled England back into contention with a superb 72 off only 48 balls, which included nine fours and three sixes, but a leading edge off the first over of the powerplay quickly followed by Flintoff chipping to extra cover in the next over all but selaed England's fate.