KOLKATA, India — In an electrifying match at the historic Eden Gardens, Abhishek Sharma delivered an impressive performance by scoring a rapid 79 runs off just 34 balls, leading India to a seven-wicket victory over England in the opening T20 of their five-match series.
Sharma’s explosive innings included five boundaries and eight sixes, allowing India to chase down the target of 133 runs in just 12.5 overs, finishing with a total of 133 for 3 in response to England’s 132 all out.
Winning the toss, India elected to field first. The highlight of the bowling attack was Varun Chakravarthy, who clinched 3 wickets for 23 runs in his four overs. Meanwhile, seamers Arshdeep Singh (2-17) and Hardik Pandya (2-42) contributed two wickets each, while Axar Patel added 2-22 to the tally.
Sharma’s performance surpassed his previous record of 24 balls for a half-century, achieved against South Africa last November. Sanju Samson also played a part in the early innings, scoring 26 runs off 20 deliveries, which included four fours and a six, before falling victim to Jofra Archer’s short-pitched bowling.
Archer was the only bowler who posed a significant challenge to the Indian batsmen, taking 2 wickets for 21 runs. However, India managed to keep the momentum going, as Sharma dominated the English attack while Tilak Varma played a supportive role at the other end.
Sharma unleashed a flurry of boundaries against Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, and Jamie Overton, maintaining an outstanding strike rate that edges past 200 throughout his innings. His partnership with Varma was crucial, as they combined for 84 runs off 42 balls, with Varma contributing 15 runs in that partnership before Sharma miscued a shot off Rashid, paving the way for Pandya to help seal the game.
Earlier in the match, Arshdeep Singh set the tone with a fiery start, putting England under pressure by claiming two quick wickets at 17-2, dismissing openers Phil Salt for a duck and Ben Duckett for just four runs.
Despite the early setbacks, England’s captain Jos Buttler stood firm, scoring 68 runs off 44 balls, which featured eight boundaries and two sixes. His partnership with Harry Brook, who scored 28 runs, was England’s most significant during the innings. However, Buttler’s efforts were not enough as Chakravarthy eliminated Brook with a well-timed googly.
Liam Livingstone’s struggles against spin left him out for a duck, while Jacob Bethell managed only seven runs before falling to Pandya. England’s innings faltered as they succumbed to 83 for 5 in 11.5 overs, ultimately finishing at a disappointing total given the high-scoring potential of the venue.
India will next face England in the second T20 match set to take place in Chennai on Saturday.
