India vs England, 1st T20I: India Sets Record with Stunning Seven-Wicket Win
India began the five-match T20I series against England in style. They won by seven wickets in Kolkata on Wednesday night. The hosts chased down England’s target of 132 in just 12.5 overs. It was their fastest T20I chase against England.
India’s Fastest T20I Chase Against England
India took a 1-0 series lead with a historic win. They chased the target with 43 balls to spare. This sets a new record for the largest T20I win by balls remaining against England. The previous record of 33 balls was held by Australia from their 2018 victory in Melbourne.
This was India’s sixth-largest T20I win by balls remaining. It was their second-largest at home.
England’s Struggles with the Bat
England batted first after Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav chose to field. They managed only 132 runs in 20 overs, losing all ten wickets. The innings lacked support for captain Jos Buttler. He was a lone warrior with a resilient knock.
- Jos Buttler’s Contribution: 68 off 44 balls (8 fours, 2 sixes)
- Other Double-Digit Scores: Harry Brook (17) and Jofra Archer (12)
The rest of the English batting lineup failed to counter the Indian bowlers. Both spinners and pacers dominated. Varun Chakravarthy was lethal, with figures of 3/23. He earned the Player of the Match award.
Indian Bowlers Shine
- Varun Chakravarthy: 3/23
- Arshdeep Singh: 2/17
- Axar Patel: 2/22
- Hardik Pandya: 2/42
Abhishek Sharma’s Heroics Lead the Chase
India’s chase started strong. Opener Sanju Samson smashed 22 runs in the second over off Gus Atkinson. However, quick wickets left India at 43/2 in the fifth over. Samson (26) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (0) were out.
It was Abhishek Sharma who stole the show with an explosive knock. The left-handed opener hit his second T20I fifty in 20 balls, anchoring the chase.
- Abhishek Sharma’s Innings: 79 off 34 balls (5 fours, 8 sixes)
- Key Partnership: 84 runs with Tilak Varma for the third wicket
Tilak Varma (19*) and Hardik Pandya (3*) saw India home.
