India versus England 1st ODI: India began the series with a big win

 

Thanks to a great effort, the Indian Team registered an emphatic win in the 1^st One-day international match played at MCA Cricket Stadium, Pune on Tuesday.

England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss and decided to field first. It was a cautious start by Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma against good quality bowling of Mark Wood and Sam Curran. Dhawan got the first boundary for Team India. Wood troubled both Indian openers. Dhawan got a reprieve as Roy dropped a catch and missed a run-out chance at the non-striker end. Rohit Sharma was hit on the elbow by Wood but hit some lovely boundaries. At the end of the first 10 overs, India made 39 for 0.

After the field restrictions, Tom Curran came to bowl and troubled Rohit Sharma. On the other hand,  Shikhar Dhawan looked good at hitting boundaries. Rohit Sharma was dismissed hitting a wide delivery providing an easy catch to Buttler. The Indian openers put on 64 runs laying a strong foundation for a big total.

The Indian captain Virat Kohli looked in great touch with some lovely timing. Shikhar Dhawan struggled unable to rotate the strike. He took his time and reached his fifty off 68 balls. After completing his fifty, Dhawan upped the ante along with Kohli. Dhawan got another chance as Moeen Ali dropped a simple chance. Kohli and Dhawan showed their class keeping the scoreboard ticking. Kohli reached a half-century off 50 balls to maintain the momentum for Team India. Against the run of play, Mark Wood struck to get rid of Kohli trying to increase the scoring run rate giving a simple catch to Moeen Ali. Kohli and Dhawan added 105 runs for the 2^nd wicket.

After the fall of Kohli’s wicket, the England bowlers kept tight lines and lengths picking wickets of Iyer, well-set Dhawan to stem run flow. KL Rahul looked out of sorts not able to time the ball. Billings left the field while stopping a boundary. Stokes struck getting rid of the wicket of Hardik Pandya to leave India in some trouble.

Krunal Pandya playing his debut ODI match started his innings with a cracking boundary and then put the England bowlers under pressure keeping the scoreboard ticking. After the initial struggle, KL Rahul joined in taking on the England bowlers. Krunal completed his fifty off just 26 balls while Rahul reached half-century off 39 balls. It was an amazing batting display by Krunal and Rahul putting on unbeaten 112 runs from 9.3 over helping Team India post a competitive total of 317 for 5 in 50 overs.

Chasing 318 runs to win, Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy started off cautiously against Krishna and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. After the initial struggle, Bairstow took on Krishna blasting him for runs putting the Indian bowlers under pressure. At the end of the first 10 overs, England openers raced away to 89 for 0.

After the field restrictions, Bairstow was in sublime touch reaching his fifty off just 40 balls. The England openers reached the century in quick time. The debutant Prasidh Krishna provided the breakthrough getting rid of Roy ending 135 runs opening stand in 14.2 overs with a juggling catch by Surya Kumar Yadav at point. The Indian bowlers made a strong comeback as Krishna took his 2^nd wicket dismissing Ben Stokes providing an easy catch to Shubman Gill at extra-cover.

Krishna could have got his third wicket but Virat Kohli dropped a chance at slips. After the reprieve, Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes played with intent keeping the momentum of the innings. Shardul Thakur got rid of the brilliant Bairstow to bring back India into the game. Morgan and Bairstow added 32 runs for the 3^rd wicket.

Thakur got rid of England captain Eoin Morgan banging in short and then dismissed Jos Buttler to leave England in trouble.

Moeen Ali and Sam Billings provided some resistance for England hitting Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya for runs. Krishna coming into the attack dismissed Sam Billings providing an easy catch to Kohli. Billings and Moeen Ali added 41 runs for the 6^th wicket.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was superb with his line and lengths not allowing England batsmen to score runs easily. The Indian bowlers kept on picking wickets at regular intervals bowling out England for 251.

India 317 for 5 in 50 overs (Dhawan 98, Rahul 62*, Stokes 3/34, Wood 2/75) beat England 251 in 42.1 overs (Bairstow 94, Roy 46, Ali 30, Krishna 4/54, Kumar 2/30, Thakur 3/37) by 66 runs.

For his 98 off 106 balls, Dhawan was awarded the man of the match award. India takes a 1-0 lead in the 3 match ODI series. The second ODI will be played on 26^th March.

 

India won the 1st ODI by 66 runs against World Champions England at Pune