Sam Curran's heroics in vain as India win ODI series against England after Pune thriller

Virat Kohli's team hold their nerves to prevail by seven runs in decider

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  T. Natarajan bowled an excellent last over as India defeated England by seven runs in the third ODI in Pune to take the series 2-1. Reuters

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  England's Sam Curran hit an unbeaten 95 in the third ODI against India in Pune on Sunday but still ended up on the losing side. Reuters

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  England's Sam Curran was the star of the show for the visitors in the third ODI against India at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. AP

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  India's captain Virat Kohli, left, and Shardul Thakur, right celebrate with teammates the dismissal of England's Adil Rashid. AP

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  Mark Wood and Sam Curran reviced England with a 60-run partnership. Getty

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  England's Jason Roy is bowled by India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar. AP

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  India's Shikhar Dhawan made an attacking fifty in Pune on Sunday. AP

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  India's Rishabh Pant hit 78 against England in the third ODI. AFP

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  India's Hardik Pandya scored 64 off 44 balls. AFP

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  England's Mark Wood picked up three wickets. Reuters

All-rounder Sam Curran played the innings of a lifetime but it was not enough as India defeated England by seven runs in the third and final ODI of the series in Pune to clinch the series 2-1.

Already beaten in the Test and Twenty20 legs, England's loss in the decider meant a clean sweep of defeats in all formats on tour but Curran's improbable rescue job from number eight turned a lost cause into a nail-biting finale.

England were 168-6 chasing 330 when he walked to the crease, but he showed scant regard for the match situation as he heaved his way to a remarkable 95 not out.

The 22-year-old's previous best in ODIs was just 15, while his highest score in any white-ball cricket stood at 57. And yet, after being dropped by Hardik Pandya on just 22, he refused to be stopped.

With only the tail for company he set up a 50th-over shootout but could not clear the final hurdle as Thangarasu Natarajan prevented the two big hits England needed for glory. They finished with 322-9.

The vast majority of his counter-attack seemed certain to do little more than mitigate the margin of defeat, but over-by-over and blow-by-blow the equation became more and more realistic as India's fielding wilted under pressure.

In the end, he needed 14 off the last six balls but could only take six as Natarajan finished well to secure a series win for India.

Shardul Thakur picked up the most wickets for India to finish with figures of 4-67. But it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who set the game up with remarkable figures of 3-42, which included early wickets of openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow.

Earlier, England bowled out India for 329 in 48.2 overs after attacking half-centuries from Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya.

Pace bowler Mark Wood claimed three wickets while leg-spinner Adil Rashid took two after England opted to bowl in the decider in Pune.

Pant top-scored with 78 and Hardik smashed 64 after India were in trouble at 157-4. India had started strongly with a 103-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan before Rashid removed the openers.