New Delhi: Team India made a thumping start to the white-ball series against England with a lopsided win in the first T20I at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The Men in Blue made short work of the Three Lions to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Suryakumar Yadav’s decision to field first was backed by the bowling unit led by an inspired Arshdeep Singh, who set the ball rolling with a magnificent spell with the new ball, and Varun Chakravarthy, who spun a web around the visitors’ batters and choked the English innings.
The good work of the bowlers was complimented by the batting order, which made a mockery of the English bowling attack in what turned out to be a record-breaking evening in the City of Joy.
Aiming to stretch their unbeaten T20I run at home to 17 series, the T20 champions started off in a perfect fashion and in the process continued their Eden Gardens love affair.
The Men in Blue registered their seventh win on the trot at the Eden Garden and went joint-level with Pakistan in the list of most consecutive wins at a venue in T20I cricket. India are unbeaten at the iconic venue since 2016. England lead the chart with eight successive wins at Cardiff.
Most consecutive T20I wins at a venue (Full member teams)
8 England – Cardiff (2010-21)
7 Pakistan – Karachi (2008-21)
7 India – Kolkata (2016-25) *
Arshdeep reaches summit in record quick time
It was Arshdeep who set the tone for India’s landmark win in Kolkata with a sensational new-ball spell that saw him dismiss both England openers in his first two overs. The left-arm seamer first got rid of Phil Salt in the opening over and then removed Ben Duckett in his second over to become the highest wicket-taker for India in T20I cricket after surpassing Yuzvendra Chahal.
Arshdeep’s rise in national colours has been nothing short of remarkable. It’s hard to fathom that in just over two years since making his debut, Arshdeep has become the most successful bowler for India in T20I cricket. Arshdeep who made his debut in 2022, reached the 97-wicket mark in just 61 innings, reaching the feat in 19 games lesser than Chahal’s 80 T20I appearances.
Abhishek Sharma follows in the footsteps of his mentor
While it was Sanju Samson who gave India a brisk start with a 26-run cameo, it turned out to be the Abhishek Sharma show at the Eden Gardens. After Samson’s dismissal, Abhishek cut loose and wreaked havoc on English bowlers with a brutal hitting display that saw him score 68 out of his 79 runs in boundaries (8 sixes and 5 fours).
Abhishek reached the 50-run mark in just 20 balls to hit the second-fastest fifty by an Indian against England and followed in the footsteps of his mentor Yuvraj Singh, who holds the record for the fastest fifty by an Indian against the Three Lions – famously achieving the feat off just 12 balls in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Courtesy of Abhishek’s blazing fifty, India chased down the 133-run target with 43 balls to spare and set the tone for the rest of the series.
India vs England: The Men In Blue continued their dominance at the Eden Gardens with a crushing seven-wicket win over the Three Lions in the first T20I in Kolkata. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
