Kate Cross' exceptional final over secures clean-sweep for England

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Mandhana played a captain's knock of 58 from just 39 balls to lay the platform for what should have been a comfortable chase of 120 in the third and final T20I, but things started to unravel after her dismissal.

The experienced Mithali Raj upped her game towards the end to leave India with just three to win off the final over, but she was left stranded at the non-striker's end as England pulled off a dramatic heist to claim the series 3-0.

Cross bowled with pinpoint accuracy to deliver three consecutive dots to newcomer Bharati Fulmali. The pressure took its toll, with Fulmali hitting the next ball down the throat of Anya Shrubsole at mid-off. Anuja Patil tried to go big the next ball and missed to get stumped, leaving Shikha Pandey with get three off the final delivery. She swung hard and sliced the ball to the fielder at point, managing just a single.

Mandhana had been at her fluent best, striking eight fours and a six. Shrubsole had removed Hemalatha Deol for just one and then Jemimah was trapped in front by Linsey Smith for a painstaking 11 from 22 balls.

Mandhana was unfazed by the wickets and looked the most comfortable batter from either side. When she was bowled by Laura Marsh at the end of the 13th over, India needed just 33 runs from 42 balls. England's bowlers, however, applied the squeeze, and it resulted in the run out of Deepti Sharma as she tried to scamper back for a risky second run after flicking one to fine leg.

By the end of the 17th over, the equation was down to 18 from as many balls. But Raj, who had batted more steadily until then, struck two boundaries off Natalie Sciver in the next over to firmly shift the momentum India's way.

Shrubsole threatened to again pull things back by conceding just two runs from her first five deliveries in the penultimate over, but Raj once again relieved the pressure by striking a boundary off the final ball. But those efforts went in vain in the end.

Earlier, England's innings had received a positive start, with Danielle Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont putting on 51 for the first wicket. But once the former was dismissed by Patil for 24, the innings was jolted.

Poonam Yadav then castled Natalie Sciver for a duck. Patil struck again the next over to remove Beaumont for a 27-ball 29.

Heather Knight (11) was the next to depart, with Ekta Bisht having her stumped. Laura Winfield was trapped lbw by Deol for just two. Deol then removed the dangerous-looking Amy Jones for a 21-ball 26 as England slipped from 51/0 to 93/6.

Sophia Dunkley and Shrubsole stitched up an unbroken 26-run stand in the end, and that could well have proved the difference in the end.