All-rounder Liam O'Brien took two wickets and scored an unbeaten 70 as England Men Mixed Disability beat India by four wickets in the 4th IT20 in Jaipur.
The victory secured the series victory, with England taking an unassailable 3-1 lead into Friday's final game. It is the first time and England Disability side has won a series in India.
Having been asked to bowl first, Farooq Mohammad made the breakthrough in the fifth over after a strong start by the Indian openers, removing Akash Singh for 21, caught by Henry Wainman.
Wainman was directly involved in five of the 10 wickets to fall. He took 2/16 with the ball, including the key wicket of Jayesh Parmar for an enterprising 59 from 34 balls, and also executed two run-outs in the innings.
Parmar's dismissal sparked a collapse, with the hosts slipping from 114/4 to 133 all out in the 19th over. O'Brien took a wicket with the first and last balls of the 17th over, with two more wickets falling in Chris Edwards' next over. Jonny Gale ran out Rizwan in the 19th over to wrap up the innings.
England's reply got off to an inauspicious start, falling to 39/4 in the 9th over. Rizwan picked up the wickets of Gale, Angus Brown and Josh Price consecutive overs, with captain Callum Flynn departing for 12 soon after.
However O'Brien and Edwards steadied the ship, adding 71 for the fifth wicket. O'Brien upped the scoring rate, hitting 70 from 41 balls, with Edwards adding a run-a-ball 21 at the other end. Edwards and Wainman fell with England 20 runs short of their target, but O'Brien and Jordan Williams knocked them off with five balls to spare.
After the victory, O'Brien said: “We're absolutely over the moon, it’s really special to come over here and make history as a team.
“It’s been a brilliant series. They’ve been on top at times and they’ve made us work really hard - today included - and that’s made for really competitive cricket.
“It’s been a brilliant advert for Mixed Disability cricket. They’ve come on since last summer and I’m sure they’ll only get stronger. We’re delighted to win and it’s been a brilliant team effort.
“A win like this is made all the more special by having family and friends here to support us. A huge thanks to them, from all the team, for being here and getting behind us, as well as to the cricket community back home cheering us on."
England and India face off in the final IT20 in Jaipur on Friday morning.