India vs England 1st T20I: Abhishek Sharma’s assault helps hosts to convincing win in opening game | Cricket News
It was a rude welcome for Brendon McCullum as England’s white-ball coach as Abhishek Sharma made a mockery of the modest target with a 34-ball 79, which took India to a comprehensive seven-wicket win in the first T20 International at the iconic Eden Gardens on Wednesday with as many as 43 balls to spare.
Five fours and eight sixes flowed from the Punjab left-hander’s bat as the visitors were never in the contest after managing just 132 in their stipulated overs. The opening partnership of 41 in just 4.1 overs between Abhishek and Sanju Samson (26 in 20 balls) effectively settled the matter and thereafter, it was only a matter of how quickly the hosts would seal the deal. After finding his range, Abhishek never took his foot off the pedal , be it against pace or spin.
Abhishek starts 2025 with a blast
Abhishek has been a bit of a hit-and-miss player in India colours till now. But on Wednesday, the 24-year-old provided the capacity crowd at Eden a masterclass in big hitting. After watching Samson take the fight to England from the word go, Abhishek followed suit nailing comeback man Jofra Archer for a boundary and a maximum in the third over with the home team’s run rate reaching 11 per over.
Samson would soon fall trying to clear Archer over the ropes. Captain Suryakumar Yadav lasted just two balls, as the England pacer struck in the same over to send him packing for a duck.
But Abhishek would not be deterred as he smashed two sixes and a straight four in the last over of the Powerplay with India comfortably placed at 63/2 after 6 overs, needing just 70 runs in 84 balls. He then clobbered leg-spinner Adil Rashid for two more sixes and a four before bringing up his half-century in just 20 balls with a swivel pull for a maximum.
Liam Livingstone wouldn’t fare any better as Abhishek slapped him for a boundary, as the Indian 100 was brought up in just 10 overs. Thereafter, Gus Atkinson was smacked for a six and a four in the 11th over. the time the left-hander departed, at the hands of Rashid in the 12th over, the requirement was in single figures.
Arshdeep, Varun star
When Surya chose to bowl first on Wednesday, all eyes on the ground immediately zeroed in on Mohammed Shami, going about his warm-ups. But the veteran pacer was not in the playing XI as India went with three spinners.
India’s Varun Chakravarthy, left, celebrates with captain Suryakumar Yadav after the dismissal of England’s Liam Livingstone, right, during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Varun Chakravarthy, one of the main architects of Kolkata’s IPL-winning season, did the star turn getting Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone in the same over, followed the prized wicket of England captain Jos Buttler just as he was looking dangerous to finish with figures of 3/23.
With the new ball, the onus fell on Arshdeep Singh to lead the attack and he found swing straightaway and snapped up the dangerous Phil Salt for a duck on just the third delivery of the match. A venomous short ball, banged hard onto the surface, surprised the England batter as he got the leading edge only for wicketkeeper Samson to grab a dolly. Arshdeep would also snap up the other opener Ben Duckett for 4 as he tried to shift gears.
Jacob Bethell could muster just 7 runs before his uncomfortable stay was ended Hardik Pandya. Jamie Overton followed suit as he tried to smash Axar Patel only to hole out to Nitish Kumar Reddy for 2. Axar got his second when Atkinson was stumped Samson.
England’s captain Jos Buttler celebrates after scoring fifty runs during the first T20 cricket match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Buttler lone ranger
Buttler was the sole bright spot for England after coming in at No.3, holding up his end as he reached his half-century in the 12th over off 34 balls. He would continue in that vein, grabbing the boundaries at regular intervals as he took England past 100 in 15.5 overs. He tried to raise the tempo but fell to Chakravarthy for 68 as England steadily lost the plot.
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