New Delhi: The Indian national cricket team staged a brilliant comeback following their recent T20 series disappointment by defeating England by six wickets in the first One Day International at Edgbaston on Tuesday. Brilliant all round performances from Axar Patel and Washington Sundar helped the Men in Blue comfortably chase down a target of 259 runs with plenty of overs to spare.
Earlier in the day, England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch that offered extra bounce. The hosts managed a bright start but soon suffered a dramatic middle order collapse, losing five quick wickets to slip to a dangerous position of 107 for 6. However, a highly resilient 121 run partnership for the seventh wicket between veteran Joe Root and Liam Dawson helped stabilize the innings. Root anchored the innings beautifully to remain unbeaten on 76 while Dawson registered his maiden half century with a solid 68. The English innings eventually folded for 258 in the 48th over.
The Indian bowling attack looked sharp and disciplined. Left arm spinner Axar Patel emerged as the star bowler for the visitors, claiming four crucial wickets for 62 runs. Fast bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar also bowled impressive spells, picking up two wickets each to keep the aggressive English batting lineup in check.
Chasing the competitive total, India faced major early setbacks. Returning veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were dismissed cheaply for 11 and 5 respectively by the English pace attack. Captain Shubman Gill then took charge of the run chase, playing a highly authoritative knock. Gill smashed 80 runs off just 75 deliveries before walking off the field retired hurt due to severe leg cramps. Shreyas Iyer contributed a valuable 35 runs before getting run out. When KL Rahul departed for just a single run, India found themselves slightly under pressure at 160 for 4.
Rising to the occasion, the dynamic duo of Axar Patel and Washington Sundar stitched an aggressive and unbeaten match winning partnership. Axar played a highly explosive innings to score 57 not out off 39 balls. Sundar matched his energy and completed the chase in absolute style by hitting a massive six, remaining unbeaten on 52. The dominant victory gives India a crucial series lead and sets a highly positive tone for their upcoming matches.