Krunal, Krishna star on ODI debut as India take 1-0 series lead

Scorecard

India excelled with both bat and ball, as they beat England in the first ODI by 66 runs to take a 1-0 series lead.

Earlier, after being put in to bat, India posted a competitive total of 317/5.

The openers, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, started the Powerplay prudently as they faced Mark Wood and Sam Curran in tandem who were swinging the ball upfront from hard length.

The duo posted 64 runs for the opening partnership. Rohit was the first batsman to fall as he got out to Ben Stokes (3/34), getting caught after an outside edge to the keeper for a 42-ball 28.

Subsequently, Virat Kohli joined hands with Dhawan in the middle overs to stitch together a solid partnership of 105 runs. Kohli scored his 61st ODI fifty and reached the milestone of 10,000 international runs at home but was soon dismissed by Wood (2/75) as he lofted one straight to the deep square leg fielder where Moeen Ali took a comfortable catch.

India lost the wicket of Shreyas Iyer (6) shortly. Thereafter, Dhawan was approaching his 18th century in ODIs but fell short by merely two runs, managing 98 from 106 balls. His innings was laced with 11 fours and two sixes.

The hosts found themselves in a conundrum after being reduced to 197/4 in 38 overs. It was the 112-run partnership of KL Rahul and Krunal Pandya in the last 57 deliveries that steered the Indian innings to strong total.

Krunal smashed the record fastest fifty by a debutant in men's ODIs, reaching the mark in just 26 balls, and remained unbeaten on 58.

Rahul scored his ninth ODI half-century, scoring a 62* consisted of four fours and as many sixes.

Chasing 318, England openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow upped the ante. Their partnership of 135 runs in just 14.2 overs threatened the chances of India coming back into the game.

India scripted a complete turnaround with the fall of Roy’s wicket for 46 runs (35), who also became Prasidh Krishna’s maiden international wicket. Stokes joined Bairstow on the crease but was dismissed for one – giving back-to-back wickets to Prasidh.

Bairstow’s destructive innings of 94 in 66 balls that almost took the match away from India’s clutches was ended by Shardul Thakur after being caught on the boundary ropes. His blazing knock was composed of six fours and seven sixes.

Thakur made a strong statement as he sent the England captain Eoin Morgan (22) and vice-Captain Jos Buttler (2) back to the pavilion in the same over to bring India back on top.

With run-a-ball needed for victory, Sam Billings and Moeen Ali showed the application of resilience to give England a fair chance at the win but Billings (18) was outdone by Prasidh, and Moeen was caught by Rahul after nicking off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s (2/30) bowling.

The Curran brothers joined each other in the middle with the visitors needing 79 runs in the last 12 overs.

Sam Curran (12) was sent packing by Krunal, who took his first ODI wicket. Subsequently, Adil Rashid (0) and Tom Curran (11) could not hold ground, resulting in England being bowled out for 251/10 in 42.1 overs.

Dhawan was adjudged the Player of the Match for his knock of 98 runs.