The England cricket team thrashed India by eight wickets in the first T20 International at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Eoin Morgan-led side rode on an incredible bowling display from their pacers to restrict the hosts to 124 for seven in their quota of 20 overs.
Only Shreyas Iyer could offer any resistance as he scored 67 runs off 48 balls while the rest of the Indian batting fell apart. Rishabh Pant (21) and Hardik Pandya (19) were the only others to get to double figures.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer was the wrecker-in-chief for England as he claimed three crucial wickets for just 23 runs in his four overs.
Chasing 125 for the win, England opening batsmen Jason Roy and Jos Buttler added 72 runs in eight overs to give the visitors a swashbuckling start. Roy was dismissed for 49 by Washington Sundar while Buttler lost his wicket after scoring 28 and was picked up by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.
Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow (26) and Dawid Malan (24) stitched an unbeaten 41-run partnership for the third wicket to take England to a comfortable victory with 27 balls to spare.
Indian cricket fans and former cricketers expressed their disappointment on Twitter, slamming Virat Kohli for Team India's below-par batting performance.
India vs England 1st T20I
— Angry Rantman (@angry_rantman) March 12, 2021
Positives :-
Shreyas Iyer Innings
Crowd & Fans
Negatives :-
Body language
Top order batsmen No impact
Finishing in final overs
Wrong team selection ( Extra spinner no use) #INDvENG
T20 World Cup is coming and Rohit Sharma is rested 😳😳 what is Virat Kohli and Coach thinking #RohitSharma #INDvENG #T20I pic.twitter.com/8cqH3MINSJ
— Madhav (@madhaavv) March 12, 2021
I'm going to say this: India can be better T20 team without Virat Kohli. Give SKY a chance and promote Iyer to number three. Don't need to say anything about Rohit leading this side, do I?
— Arjun (@ArjunNamboo) March 12, 2021
Virat Kohli's last five innings in international cricket:
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) March 12, 2021
0
62
27
0
0 - Today#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/QOslywTIdb
The @mipaltan are a better T20 team than @BCCI !!! #JustSaying #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 12, 2021
Choker Virat Kohli the new Shahid Afridi of world cricket 🦆
— Aayush Salman Trends ™ #Radhe (@ibeingaayushh) March 12, 2021
3rd duck in last 5 innings 😂
Afridi atleast can repay with his leg spin but Choker Kohli can't do anything other than behaving like maniac on field
Zeroes are new hundereds 🤣 #INDvENG #INDvsENG_2021 pic.twitter.com/DGfVb08NkC
Virat Kohli's batting today😭😭😭#INDvEND pic.twitter.com/5LsDssq1o6
— Aman Rai🥳🎉 (@AmanRai28) March 12, 2021
The Men in Blue will have a chance to level the series when they take on England in the second T20I at the same venue on Sunday.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter/WisdenIndia
