Ben Stokes relishes India T20 'final' in World Cup year

India players celebrate after beating England by eight runs in the fourth T20 match in Ahmedabad on Thursday, March 18. AP

England batsman Sam Curran is clean bowled by India's Hardik Pandya for three at the Narendra Modi Stadium. AFP

Jofra Archer breaks his bat hitting out towards the end of England's innnings.

England's Ben Stokes plays a shot on his way to 46 from 23 balls. AP

India watch a replay of the dismissal of England's Dawid Malan. PA

England batsman Dawid Malan on his way to 14. PA

India batsman Hardik Pandya was out for 11. Getty

India's Rishabh Pant of India is bowled by Jofra Archer for 30. Getty

Suryakumar Yadav hits a six for India on his way to 57 off 31 balls. Getty

England bowler Sam Curran, left, celebrates with Jos Buttler after the dismissal of India's Suryakumar Yadav. AP

India's Suryakumar Yadav celebrates reaching his half century. Reuters

England's Jofra Archer takes the catch to dismiss India opener KL Rahul for 14. AFP

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler stumps India captain Virat Kohli. PA

England celebrate the dismissal of India's Virat Kohli for just one run. AP

England fielder Ben Stokes takes the catch to dismiss India's Hardik Pandya. AFP

India's Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot. AFP

Ben Stokes says England welcome the pressure of Saturday's "final" against India as they seek to become battle-hardened for this year's Twenty20 World Cup.

India levelled the five-match T20 series 2-2 when their bowlers stifled England's run chase for 186 despite Stokes's defiant 46 in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

"In an ideal world we would have loved to have gone into the next game having won the series and it sounds weird saying it, but we got a positive out of losing," said Stokes, after England fell eight runs short.

"We go into the next game with a huge amount of pressure on our shoulders as a team because whoever wins that game wins the series. It's a final."

Saturday's match will again be in an empty stadium in Ahmedabad because of rising coronavirus numbers in India. But despite the lack of atmosphere, Stokes said it was still a good test for England.

"That's great for us as a team, especially with a T20 World Cup coming up," said Stokes.

"The more pressure situations we are put into as team, the better we'll be for it. We want to win and we want to make a habit of winning."

India will host the showpiece event for cricket's shortest format in October-November.

Jason Roy hit a quickfire 40 before England hit trouble at 66-3 but Stokes raised his team's hopes with a 65-run fourth-wicket stand with Jonny Bairstow, who made 25.

But Indian medium-pace bowler Shardul Thakur struck on successive deliveries to send back Stokes and England captain Eoin Morgan, for four, to derail the chase.

Stokes said England's failure had been not having a leading batsmen to attack India's bowlers in the final overs.

"One of us had to be there at the end. It's always frustrating getting out and even more when you feel you've got the game in your hands," said the all-rounder.

"We've got the World Cup coming up and no doubt we'll be put in a similar situation at some point in that tournament. These are all great learning experiences for us."

With England needing 23 from the last over, Jofra Archer gave India a scare by hitting a four and six, and then two no balls brought the total down further before his bat broke and he became stuck at the non-striker's end for the final balls.

Archer returned his T20 best figures of 4-33 to check India late in their innings, Stokes said the pace bowler had become a key England weapon.

"He's a fantastic bowler -- he's got raw pace and a huge amount of skill and he's really showing that off this series," said Stokes.

"Bowling at the top of the order and at the death, there's no harder thing for a bowler to do, but he's prevailed every time."