In a dominant display at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India Defeated England By 7 wickets with 43 balls to spare in the opening T20I of the five-match series. Opting to bowl first, India restricted England to a modest 132, thanks to a disciplined bowling performance led by Varun Chakraborty and Arshdeep Singh. In response, Abhishek SharmaIndia ensured 79 off 34 balls She chased down the target in just 12.5 overs. This emphatic win gives India an early lead in the series and highlights their all-round strength.
Varun Chakravarthy's magic with the ball
India's decision to pay dividends first has paid off early after Arshdeep's removal Phil Salt and Ben Duckett In quick succession. The highlight of the innings was Chakravarthy's brilliant bowling. He picked up 3 wickets for 23 runs, including the major scalp of Harry Brock and Liam Livingstone In the same breath more. Chakravarthy's guile and precision left England's middle order in disarray, as they struggled to get up to speed after a steady start. If butlerwho top-scored with 68 off 44 balls and eventually fell to Varun. England's lower order showed little resistance, falling to just 132.
Abhishek Sharma's powerful strike against England
India's chase started out regular, but Abhishek turned it into a one-man show. Open side by side Sanju SamsonSharma smashed 79 runs off just 34 deliveries, including 5 fours and 8 towering sixes. His 20-ball half-century set the tone for a quick finish. While Samson contributed 26 at the top, and Tilak Pharma Ensuring no holds barred with a 19-match unbeaten run, Abhishek's fearless approach against the England players, especially Jofra Archer and Mark Woodwhich defined the roles. His clean goal was a delight for the crowd, and he was named the best player in the match.
also Watch: Varun Chakravarthy stuns England by removing Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone at the same time | IND vs ENG 2025, 1st T20I
Clinical bowling and fielding highlight India's dominance in Kolkata
The Indian bowling unit executed their plans to perfection. Arshdeep's early breakthroughs and Hardik PandyaHis crucial runs through mid-on ensured that England did not get the momentum they needed. Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi He kept things tight, as Patel also picked up 2 wickets. Field efforts including Samson running out for the sack Mark WoodComplementing the efforts of the bowlers. Overall, India's all-round performance demonstrated their readiness for the series, leaving England with a lot to think about ahead of the second T20I.
Here's how Twitter reacted:
Abhishek Sharma doesn't care about pace. The closer you get, the faster. Incredible talent. He reminds me of his mentor Yuvraj Singh.
β M (@angrypakistan) January 22, 2025
The best format in India is T20.. They have a great group of players.. #INDvsENG
– Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 22, 2025
The Indian spinners were brilliant today and I loved the way Suryakumar Yadav used them. He was happy to give his main player a three at the top. His players supported the bowlers well. England's old weakness against spin has been put to good use.
β Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 22, 2025
Best shot by Abhi Sharma.. A great way to respond when your place is questioned!! Loving the personality shown by the youth!! πͺπΎ
– Robbie Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) January 22, 2025
I can't imagine a T20 team without Abhishek Sharma, he is so good. On a side note, I would love to see him grow into a Test cricketer. His average may not stand out from the top class, but I'm sure the numbers will improve in the coming seasons. #INVENG
– Amartya Sinha (@theamartyasinha) January 22, 2025
In Test cricket, you need batsmen who pay a price on their wickets. In T20 cricket, you usually favor batsmen who don't put a price on their wicket, as Abhishek showed again today..#INVENG
-Hemant (@hemantbuch) January 22, 2025
India coast at home by 7 wickets in just 12.5 overs, thanks to Abhishek Sharma's brilliant knock of 79 off just 34. #INVENG
β ThePoppingCreaseSA (@PoppingCreaseSA) January 22, 2025
The Indian T20I side is fun. Just watch for entertainment. Get entertained. Go home.
β Silly point (@FarziCricketer) January 22, 2025
Well played kid. Best hit so far in his short career. A lot to come from Abhishek.
– Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) January 22, 2025
Love this from New India! No fear of cricket. There is no magic to being in the 1950s and so on.
An unselfish cricketer is always a dangerous cricketer in T20s.πππ #INDvENGonJioStar– Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) January 22, 2025
Exciting strike from Abhishek Sharma π#cricket #INVENG #T20I #AbhishekSharma pic.twitter.com/BraKTJcpyk
β CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 22, 2025
ππ‘ππ¬π’π§π π°π’ππ‘ πππ¬π ππ ππππ§, π°π'π«π πππ¦π’π₯π’ππ« π°π’ππ‘ π’π. π#INVENG #Kings of Punjab pic.twitter.com/Pj4x1RXp5z
β Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) January 22, 2025
