Manchester, July 3: Riding on a sensational ton from KL Rahul and a spectacular five-wicket haul by young Kuldeep Yadav, India began their tour of England on a positive note with an emphatic eight-wicket win in the opening T20I contest here on Tuesday (July 3).
Chasing a below par total of 160 after their spinners spun the English batsmen in their web, Men In Blue romped home in 18.2 overs for the loss of two wickets.
Outstanding display by India .... You don’t see many teams hammer the England white ball team these days .... #ENGvIND
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 3, 2018
Lokesh Rahul, who struck a superb fifty for India in the previous game against Ireland, carried his blistering form to notch up his career's second T20I ton. It came off just 53 deliveries, comprising 10 boundaries and 5 massive sixes.
Rahul, who was given a place in the playing eleven in place of out of form Manish Pandey, justified his selection with yet another profound innings. He literally came in to open the innings in the run chase as opener Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed for 5 by David Willey in the first over itself.
As comprehensive a win as was possible against a good England team. Two young men were at the heart of the win which augurs well for Indian cricket.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 3, 2018
Rahul, along with Rohit Sharma (32) rebuilt the Indian innings and ensured the hosts do not suffer any damage in the powerplays. Together Rohit and Rahul put up a 123-run stand for the second wicket and ensured the visitors record a big win.
If I was India i would be making sure Kuldeep Yadav is apart of the Test squad ....... #justsaying
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 3, 2018
Kohli, the new man-in, too ensured his team doesn't lose any more wickets and also hit the winning runs for his team. This was the third occasion when India won 7 consecutive T20Is, an achievement no other team has ever achieved.
India have to ensure that @klrahul11 is taken care of. He is a special talent and just took this game to another planet today. Privilege to watch him play
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 3, 2018
The India skipper also became the fastest to complete 2000 T20I runs after adding 7 runs to his account. Kohli took just 56 innings to reach the milestone and become first Indian, and fourth overall, to enter the elite club.
What a wonderful start to the England series for India. An outstanding spell of wrist spin bowling from @imkuldeep18 , followed by a brilliant hundred from @klrahul11 . Well begun @BCCI #ENGvIND
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) July 3, 2018
Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav ran through England's middle-order and trapped the likes of Joe Root, Eoin Morgan in his spin trap as India restricted hosts to 159/8 after inviting the Three Lions to bat first.
Kuldeep (4-0-24-5) returned with his best figures and broke the backbone of English batting-order. The chinaman looked in lethal form from the very first over and removed three wickets in a single over to bring the visitors back in the game.
Well begun is half done. This beginning is a sign of things to come. @imkuldeep18 and @klrahul11 were simply brilliant. Outstanding performance #ENGvIND
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 3, 2018
The Uttar Pradesh spinner was awarded the man of the match for his superlative show and setting the stage on fire with a memorable effort.
Jos Buttler (69) was the stand out performer with the bat for the hosts as he started against India from where he left against Australia. He along with Jason Roy (30) gave England a blistering start before the latter was dismissed by Umesh Yadav (2/21).
Take a bow @klrahul11 what an inn champ.. keep going 💪 it’s gonna be tough for England to stop this indian batting line up going forward
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 3, 2018
Barring Buttler, no other batsman posed any threats to the Indian bowlers. It could also be said that the Indians came back strongly in the middle overs and skipper Kohli operated his bowlers, particularly the spinners, to put a brake on run flow.
Alex Hales (8), Eoin Morgan (7), Jonny Bairstow (0), Joe Root (0) and Moeen Ali (6) - these numbers explain how brilliantly Men In Blue bowled in the middle overs to bring the game in their favour.
K L Rahul has settled the issue of his selection for not just the T 20 but also ODI series in great style
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) July 3, 2018
David Willey (29*) played a cameo to take his team to a respectable total else the English weren't looking to go beyond 140 at one stage.
Hardik Pandya (1/33), Yuzvendra Chahal (0/34) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/45) were the other bowlers used by skipper Kohli. Bhuvneshwar was the most expensive Indian bowler as he leaked runs and struggled to find the right line and length. The seamer didn't even get any assistance from the pitch as well.
As it Happened:
It's all over! Virat Kohli seals the win for India with a six and India crush England by 8 wickets with 10 balls to spare to go 1-nil up in the three match series. KL Rahul (101*) and Kuldeep Yadav (5/24) have been the heroes for India's emphatic win.
Century! KL Rahul slams his 2nd T20I ton off just 53 balls and India have inched closer towards a big win. What a sensational knock this has been from Rahul!
India reach 146/2 after 17 overs and Rahul is batting on 94*. India are inching closer towards a fine win.
Virat Kohli completes 2000 runs in Twenty20 Internationals. He's fourth overall and fastest to the milestone (56 innings). The Delhi batsman is the first Indian to enter this elite club.
3 runs from 13th 3 runs from 14th 3 runs from 15th over.. Run flow has stopped ever since Rohit's departure. India were cruising till Rohit-Rahul were batting. India: 137/2 after 15 overs.
Wicket! Commentators Curse! Rohit Sharma is dismissed for 32 after playing 30 balls. Adil Rashid breaks the 123-run stand between Rohit and Rahul. Out of nowhere Rohit has hit this straight to extra cover. India need 30 more to win, the incoming batsman is Kohli.
At the end of 12 overs, India reach 128/1. Rahul and Rohit are knocking English bowlers all over.
Fifty! KL Rahul continues his sensational form with the bat as he brings up another quickfire fifty. This one came off just 27 balls from the classy batsman. He has hammered 2 sixes and six fours so far in his knock.
India 48/1 after 5 overs. Rohit hit two boundaries in that over bowled by Chris Jordan.
At the end of 3 overs, India reach 26/1. They are looking to rebuild after Dhawan's early dismissal.
SIX! Chris Jordan to Lokesh Rahul. Driven over the top with the angle of the swing. Rahul middles it and the ball flies away over cover point and goes all the way for a maximum!
Wicket! What a start for England and David Willey cleans up in-form Shikhar Dhawan for 5. Dhawan departs in the very first over and this is a big blow for India.
Sachin Tendulkar lauded Kuldeep Yadav for his brilliant spell. "Amazing spell by @imkuldeep18 England failing to read Kuldeep’s wrist position. #ENGvIND," tweets Tendulkar.
England post 159/8 after 20 overs set a target of 160 for India to chase. Great comeback from visitors after getting hammered for runs in the powerplay. Kuldeep Yadav shines with 5/24.
Wicket No 8! Big full toss and Jordan gets a thick inside edge which hammers into his pad. It was such a quick delivery that it cannoned up into the air and back to Umesh for a return catch!
Wicket! Jos Buttler gets caught in the deep by Kohli and departs for 69. Kuldeep Yadav becomes first chinaman to grab a fifer in T20I. He finishes his quota of four overs with 5/24.
20 runs leaked by Bhuvneshwar Kumar from his third over and that was the most expensive over of the innings so far. England reach 137/6.
Wicket! Moeen Ali departs for 6. And Hardik Pandya gets his first scalp of the match. The left-handed batsman tried to hit the bowler over mid-on, mis-times it and Suresh Raina takes the catch. England: 117/6.
3 wickets in a single over from Kuldeep and he ran through English middle-order with his spin. Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali are the only hope for the English now.
Wicket! Oh and another! It's a carbon copy! Root trying to work the ball legside and it's another perfect googly! The flight draws Root forward and the spin takes it past him. There's some bounce too and Dhoni takes some time to gather the ball, however Root doesn't get back quick enough and is short of his ground.
Wicket! Bairstow goes first ball! The perfect googly from Kuldeep, Bairstow doesn't pick it and tries to play the ball into the offside and is drawn out of his crease. The ball turns past the outside edge and Dhoni does the rest!' England: 107/4.
Wicket! Kuldeep Yadav gets rid of Eoin Morgan. Morgan (7) goes for the big shot against the spin, he doesn't get all of it and this goes up in the air. Kohli is underneath it and makes no mistake. England: 106/3.
Chahal comes back strongly after leaking 16 runs in his first over in the powerplay. The wrist spinner conceded 6 from his last over and finished his quota of four overs for 34. Eng: 106/2 after 13 overs.
Bowled! Fantastic bowling from Kuldeep as Hales (8) failed to reach the chinaman and his stumps were knocked. Something had to give for Hales and he tried the sweep but went too far across and showed his stumps to the bowler. England don't know whether to defend or attack Kuldeep who is changing his pace beautifully. England: 100/2 after 12 overs.
4,6,4,1,2,1! Buttler looking in an ominous form as he brings up another fine fifty. The right-handed batsman amassed 16 runs from the third over bowled by Hardik Pandya. England 95/1 after 11 overs.
Kuldeep Yadav has been introduced into the attack by Kohli and in-form Buttler welcomes the chinaman with a boundary. Good comeback by Kuldeep after being hit for a boundary as he concedes just 1 off next five deliveries. ENG 77/1 after 10 overs.
7 runs conceded by Hardik Pandya from his second over. Buttler got a boundary off the last ball of his over. England reach 66/1 after 8 overs.
Alex Hales is the new man into the crease. Hardik Pandya bowls his first over and the final over of the power-play. England: 53/1 after 6 overs.
Wicket! Umesh Yadav strikes and Jason Roy is clean bowled for 30 as he tried to pull the India pacer and got an inside edge to get played on. First scalp for India and Umesh on this tour. England 50/1 after 5 overs.
0,1,4,1,6,4! 16 runs came from the first over bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal. Jos Buttler is looking in his zone today as well. The spinner was brought in early but went for runs. England: 44/0 after 4 overs.