KOLKATA, India — Abhishek Sharma scored a 20-ball half-century as India beat England by seven wickets Wednesday in the first T20 of their five-match series.
India’s opener smacked five fours and eight sixes, scoring 79 off 34 balls, as he blasted the English bowling to all parts at the historic Eden Gardens. India scaled the target in only 12.5 overs, finishing with 133-3, in reply to the visitors' 132 all out.
This was after India had won the toss and put England to bat. Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy picked 3-23 in four overs. Seamers Arshdeep Singh (2-17) and Hardik Pandya (2-42) picked a brace each, while left-arm spinner Axar Patel also took 2-22.
Sharma topped his previous quickest half-century (24 deliveries) against South Africa last November.
Sanju Samson had provided a quick start with 26 off 20 balls, including four fours and a six, but he fell to Jofra Archer’s short bowling.
Archer (2-21) provided the only stern test for Indian batters — skipper Suryakumar Yadav was out caught for a three-ball duck and Tilak Varma was also in trouble against the short stuff.
But Varma stayed put at one end, while Sharma took the English attack to the cleaners at the other.
Sharma smacked Mark Wood, then Adil Rashid, and later Jamie Overton — striking at 200-plus through his innings.
