All-round Hardik shines as India dominate England to take 1-0 lead

Hardik Pandya starred with bat and ball as India registered an emphatic 50-run victory over England in the first T20I at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The all-rounder smashed his maiden half-century in T20I cricket to take the Men in Blue to 198 for eight before picking up figures of 4 for 33 as the hosts were bowled out for 148 in the run-chase.

The world’s number one ranked T20I side continued their excellent run in the format after Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bat on a flat pitch. The captain gave India a stellar start to the powerplay, hitting five fours within the first three overs to set the tone for the visitors’ innings. Although Moeen Ali dismissed both Indian openers, Sharma and Ishan Kishan, inside the first six overs, the Men in Blue persisted with their aggressive outlook. India’s newest T20I centurion Deepak Hooda smashed Ali for consecutive sixes over long-on before creaming 16 runs in Reece Topley’s third over as India finished the powerplay on 66 for two.

Suryakumar Yadav played a similar high intent knock, smashing his first delivery to the boundary and flicking Tymal Mills for two sixes behind fine leg. Although Chris Jordan removed both set batters through the middle, India raced to 141 for four after 13 overs with Hardik Pandya doing the damage in the second half of the innings. The all-rounder was particularly aggressive against English spinners – Parkinson and Livingstone – and smashed six fours and one six to reach a 30-ball half-century. Despite leaking runs throughout the first 15 overs, the hosts made a strong comeback with the ball in the back half of the innings as just 20 runs came off the final 18 deliveries, with Chris Jordan finishing with excellent figures of 2 for 23.

Chasing 199, England were rocked early on by the swing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the veteran seamer bowled a majestic opening over that saw him castle Jos Buttler for a golden duck with a booming in-dipper. Kumar was expertly followed up by debutant Arshdeep Singh, as the left-armer extracted plenty of movement from the surface and bowled a maiden to Jason Roy in his first over in international cricket.

Rohit Sharma also trusted Hardik Pandya with an over inside the powerplay, and the all-rounder repaid his captain’s faith, dismissing Dawid Malan and Liam Livingstone in his opening over before getting Jason Roy to miscue a shot to deep third man to leave England reeling at 33 for four. Moeen Ali and Harry Brook shared a 61-run partnership to keep the hosts alive, but Yuzvendra Chahal removed both batters in the 13th over before Arshdeep Singh closed out the game at the death to give India a comfortable 50-run win.