Shreyas, Abhishek fifties lead India to 189/7 against England in 1st T20I

Chester-le-Street (UK), July 1:

Abhishek Sharma waltzed to a dynamic 59 and skipper Shreyas Iyer made a composed 68 as India posted a healthy 189 for seven against England in the first T20I here on Wednesday.

India elected to bat after winning the toss, but the beginning was anything but rosy.

The T20I world champions lost Sanju Samson, who drove Saqib Mahmood (3/33) to Tom Banton at point, and Ishan Kishan with just six runs on the board.

Kishan was run out after a mix-up with Abhishek, a mirror image of his dismissal in the second T20I against Ireland at Belfast recently.

At that time, the Indian camp might have briefly revisited their recent batting travails against Ireland in a 0-2 series defeat.

But those fleeting worries were soon eased once Abhishek slipped into his groove, and a bedlam ensued.

Pacers Luke Wood and Mahmood were taken apart spectacularly. Mahmood were carted around for 4, 6, 6 and Shreyas also found a four as India eked 21 runs off the fourth over.

Mahmood tried to unsettle Abhishek with a couple of short-pitched balls, but the left-hander was equal to the task while bringing out two well-timed pulls.

The timing was a big part of the third wicket alliance that produced 82 runs in a little over seven overs, and it was evident in the way Abhishek handled Wood.

The 25-year-old smashed the England quick for a hat-trick of fours as India piled up an impressive 61 for two in the Power Play.

Abhishek did not take his feet off the pedal even after the Power Play, and fetched his fifty off just 20 balls.

But he did not last long as Sam Curran trapped him in front of the wicket as the batter remained stranded on the back-foot.

However, Shreyas, till then supporting his younger partner, took over the job of leading India's innings, and notched up his ninth T20I fifty, first as captain. (PTI)

Brief scores:

India: 189/7 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 59, Shreyas Iyer 68, Shivam Dube 42 not out; Saqib Mahmood 3/33).