Records galore as Buttler-led England pile mammoth total against India

SOUTHAMPTON: Two-time champions England flipped the record books on Saturday as Jos Buttler's unbeaten century helped them pile up a mammoth total against India in the fifth T20I, currently underway here at the Rose Bowl.

Put into bat first, the home side, leading the ongoing five-match series 3-0, piled up 257/3 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a monumental second-wicket partnership between centurion Buttler and captain Harry Brook.

England's 257/3 was their third-highest total in men's T20Is, only behind their 267/3 against West Indies in 2023 and 304/2 against South Africa last year.

Furthermore, England's 257/3 was the biggest total against three-time champions India conceded in the shortest format, with the previous highest of 246/7 also coming against the Three Lions earlier this year at the Men's T20 World Cup semi-final.

Highest total by England in men's T20Is

• 304/2 against South Africa in 2025

• 267/3 against West Indies in 2023

• 257/3 against India in 2026*

• 248/3 against West Indies in 2025

• 246/7 against India in 2026

Leading the way for the home side was experienced wicketkeeper batter Buttler, who top-scored with a blazing 131 off 64 deliveries, studded with 12 fours and eight sixes.

Buttler's 131 is now the highest individual score against India in men's T20Is, surpassing the previous record by West Indies' Evin Lewis, who played an unbeaten 125-run knock against the reigning champions in 2017.

The former captain also shared a monumental 233-run partnership with his successor Harry Brook, who made a quickfire 95 off 45 deliveries, laced with eight sixes and four fours.

Their monumental partnership was the second-highest for any wicket in a men's T20I, involving full-member nations, only behind the 236-run stand between Afghanistan's Usman Ghani and Hazratullah Zazai, which they shared against Ireland in 2019.