Durham, July 1: Shreyas Iyer smashed his maiden T20I half-century as captain of the Indian cricket team during the first T20I against England in Durham on Wednesday. Iyer reached the milestone in 38 balls after arriving at the crease following India's early setbacks. The right-handed batter played a composed innings to steady the innings.
India Recover After Early Blows
India lost openers Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan inside the Powerplay. Iyer then stitched together a crucial partnership with Abhishek Sharma, who scored 59 off 24 balls and shattered several records against England.
The knock will come as a sigh of relief for Iyer after India's defeat against Ireland ahead of the England tour. India suffered a 1-0 series defeat under Iyer's leadership, with Ireland scripting history by beating India in a T20I series for the first time.
Abhishek's Blitz Sets the Platform
Earlier, Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start with a quickfire 59 off 24 balls, including six fours and four sixes. However, Samson and Kishan were dismissed cheaply, leaving Iyer with the responsibility of rebuilding the innings.
The half-century is Iyer's first as captain in T20 International cricket and came in his third match leading India in the shortest format. His innings helped India maintain the momentum in the opening match of the five-match T20I series against England.
