India v England: Brilliant bowling effort helps tourists clinch T20I opener

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A stellar effort from England's bowlers allowed them to ease to victory by seven wickets in the first T20I against India.

 

There was no standout performer as each of the bowlers chipped in to stifle India's

innings as they limped their way to 147-7 from their 20 overs.

England went off quickly in reply before a stand of 83 between Eoin Morgan (51) and

Joe Root (46no) moved the tourists to the brink of victory, the latter hitting the runs with 11 balls to spare.

India made a decent start, having been put in to bat, with Virat Kohli going over the infield to great effect during the powerplay.

However, the England bowlers were hitting the right areas and varying their pace superbly.

It was a sharp bouncer that did the trick in the fifth over, Chris Jordan (1-27) catching out KL Rahul (8),

who looped a simple catch up to Adil Rashid at short fine leg.

Kohli (29) was the next wicket to fall, smashing Moeen Ali's first ball to midwicket where Morgan reacted quickly to take a good catch and silence the crowd.

Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh (12) took India through to the halfway stage - more impressive England bowling keeping them to 75-2 after 10 overs

but the latter fell to the first ball of the 11th, top-edging a Liam Plunkett (1-32) bumper with Rashid taking a superb catch coming in from fine leg.

Having hit Ben Stokes for a maximum over midwicket, Raina (34) was gone next ball.

The England all-rounder producing a fantastic Yorker that snuck past Raina's pads and clipped leg stump.

Ali (2-21) then trapped Manish Pandey (3) in the next over as England forced home their advantage and, from 98-5, India never recovered.

Tymal Mills (1-27) returned to the attack and picked up his first international wicket,

Hardik Pandya picking out Sam Billings in the deep, and despite back-to-back

boundaries from MS Dhoni (36no) in the final over, some excellent death bowling from Mills and Jordan saw India finish well short of par.

 

In response, Billings and Jason Roy (19) ensured England made a blistering start to their innings,

the pair putting on 42 for the opening wicket before the latter, having hit two sixes, played on to leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chalal.

Billings (23) fell three balls later, bowled by Chalal (2-27) having yorked himself coming down the pitch.

The run rate dropped with two new batsmen, Root and Morgan, at the crease but such a strong start ensured that England remained in control.

There was no need for any real risks and as partnership stretched past 50, the required rate dropped to below a run-a-ball.

Morgan reached his half-century with a six over long on but was dismissed by Parvez Rasool (1-32) next ball as he attempted another big shot.

Jasprit Bumrah then bowled Root twice in as many balls, the Yorkshireman surviving as the first was a marginal no ball and the second a free hit, adding to India's frustration.

Consecutive boundaries took Root into the forties and with just two to win,

a maximum would have seen him to 50. That was the last thing from his mind though as he coolly worked two singles to put England 1-0 up in the three-match series.