1st T20I: Abhishek Sharma's 79 Leads India to Seven-Wicket Victory Over England
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Synopsis
In the first T20I match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Abhishek Sharma's explosive 79 runs guided India to chase down 133 runs against England, winning by seven wickets. This victory puts India ahead 1-0 in the five-match T20I series.
Key Takeaways
- Abhishek Sharma scored 79 runs off 34 balls.
- India chased down 133 runs in just 13 overs.
- Varun Chakravarthy took 3 wickets for 23 runs.
- India leads the series 1-0.
- England was bowled out for 132 runs.
Kolkata, Jan 22 (NationPress) Abhishek Sharma delivered a stunning performance, scoring 79 runs to lead India to a successful chase of 133 runs in just 13 overs, securing a victory over England by seven wickets in the first T20I at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. This win puts India ahead 1-0 in the five-match series.
India's bowlers were in fine form, with Varun Chakravarthy taking 3 wickets for 23 runs, bowling England out for a mere 132 runs. Abhishek showcased his talent as an opener in this fast-paced format, striking five boundaries and eight sixes during his explosive 34-ball innings.
His remarkable innings saw him score 68 of his 79 runs from boundaries, playing a pivotal role in India's dominant victory. India started their chase positively, with Sanju Samson hitting four boundaries and a six in the second over, amassing 22 runs off Gus Atkinson.
Abhishek opened his account by taking Jofra Archer to the boundary with a four and a six. However, Archer retaliated, dismissing Samson on a pull shot, and soon after, Suryakumar Yadav fell for a duck.
Then, the show belonged to Abhishek, who expertly flicked, carved, and smashed Mark Wood for two sixes and a four. After being dropped by Adil Rashid, he continued his onslaught, reaching his fifty in just 20 balls with a six off Jamie Overton.
Abhishek’s assault did not stop as he lofted Liam Livingstone for a four and hit Atkinson for three boundaries. His exciting knock ended when he misplayed a delivery from Rashid, falling to a catch at long-off. Tilak Varma finished off the chase with three boundaries in his unbeaten 16-ball innings of 19 runs, including the winning run, completing the chase with 43 balls to spare.
Brief scores:
England: 132 all out in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 68; Varun Chakravarthy 3-23, Arshdeep Singh 2-17) lost to India: 133/3 in 12.5 overs (Abhishek Sharma 79; Jofra Archer 2-21) by seven wickets.
