India Opts to Bowl First in 1st T20I Against England; Varun Chakravarthy Shines Early
India's bowlers shine as England struggles at 95/5 in the 1st T20I at Eden Gardens. Stay tuned for updates
Kolkata: The much-anticipated five-match T20I series between India and England kicked off on Wednesday at the iconic Eden Gardens, with India winning the toss and electing to bowl first. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue faced Jos Buttler's England, setting the stage for a high-voltage encounter.
Early Strikes Rattle England
England's innings got off to a shaky start as opener Phil Salt and Ben Duckett were dismissed early by pacer Arshdeep Singh. With India’s disciplined bowling attack making an impact, England struggled to find momentum in the powerplay.
Chakravarthy’s Double Blow
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy turned the tide decisively in the 8th over. He dismissed Harry Brook, who was building a steady 48-run partnership with skipper Jos Buttler, with a deceptive wrong 'un. On the very next delivery, Chakravarthy sent Liam Livingstone packing for a duck, reducing England to a precarious 65/4.
Current Score Update
At the end of 13.1 overs, England stands at 95/5, with the run rate hovering at 7.01. The last five overs have yielded just 30 runs for the loss of three wickets, as India’s bowlers continue to tighten their grip on the game.
Strategic Exclusions
India surprised fans and analysts by leaving seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami out of the playing XI. This series, which includes five T20Is followed by three ODIs, serves as a testing ground for both teams to experiment with combinations ahead of next month’s Champions Trophy.
Stay tuned for live updates as the game unfolds.