India Beat England By 66 Runs In 1st ODI, Lead 3-Match Series 1-0

Opener Shikhar Dhawan smashed 98 and debutant pace bowler Prasidh Krishna claimed four wickets as India thrashed England by 66 runs in the opening one-day international on Tuesday.

India: 317/5 wkts in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 98, KL Rahul 62 not out, Krunal Pandya 58 not out; Ben Stokes 3/34) beat England 251 all out in 42.1 overs (J. Bairstow 94, J. Roy 46, M. Prasidh Krishna 4/54, S. Thakur 3/37, B. Kumar 2/30) by 66 runs

India vs England 1st ODI Match Report

England, who won the toss and elected to field, bowled tight but failed to get an early breakthrough as Dhawan and Rohit Sharma (28 off 42 balls) added 64 runs in 15 overs. Stokes struck first with his pace bowling, claiming Rohit Sharma caught behind for 28

After Sharma's dismissal, Kohli joined hands with Dhawan to put India in a commanding position. The pair put on 105 for the second wicket. Dhawan made his 31st ODI fifty with a six off leg-spinner Adil Rashid. Kohli reached a run-a-ball fifty but fell for 56 to pace bowler Mark Wood.

From 135/0 To 251 All Out!

What A Fightback By India!#INDvsENG #indiancricketteam #teamindia #englandcricket pic.twitter.com/yCCnl0Yzf7

— CRICKETNMORE (@cricketnmore) March 23, 2021

 

Kohli's dismissal at the start of the 33rd over put the skids on the Indian innings, as they lost three more wickets in quick succession to slip to 205 for five wickets in the 41st over.

Things looked down but Krunal Pandya turned it around with KL Rahul. With the two at crease, India reached 250 at the end of the 45th over and then got 67 more in the last five overs to finish the innings with a flourish.

Pandya completed his 50 in 26 balls to record the fastest fifty for an ODI debutant and later choked up with emotion while dedicating the innings to his father who died in January.

Chasing 318 for victory, England opener Jonny Bairstow (94 off 66 balls) had put India under the pump. Bairstow added 135 with Jason Roy (46 off 35 balls) for the first wicket in just over 14 overs. Krishna got rid of Roy and Ben Stokes (1) to help India get back. 

He nearly got his third on the next ball when Morgan, who came into bat with four stitches on the webbing of his hand, edged his first ball to Kohli at slip but the Indian captain dropped the catch.

Shardul Thakur soon took over from Krishna to deny Bairstow his hundred after getting the opener caught at deep midwicket. He then struck twice in his next over to send back Morgan, for 22, and Jos Buttler, lbw for two, as England slipped further to 176-5.

Moeen Ali made a fighting 30 before falling to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who combined with Pandya and Krishna to wipe off the tail. England got bowled out for 251 in 42.1 overs.