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1st ODI: Debutants Krunal Pandya, Prasidh Krishna grab eyeballs as India defeat England by 66 runs

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Mar 23, 2021, 09:32 PM IST
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Photograph:(Twitter)

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India on Tuesday defeated England by 66 runs in the first ODI at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Krunal Pandya, KL Rahul starred with the bat whereas it was Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur who changed the dynamics of the game with the ball as India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.  

India on Tuesday defeated England by 66 runs in the first ODI at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Krunal Pandya, KL Rahul starred with the bat whereas it was Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur who changed the dynamics of the game with the ball as India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.  

England, after winning the toss, invited India to bat first in Pune. The opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan was off to a cautious start but picked up the tempo steadily as they stitched a 64-run opening stand. While Rohit departed for 28, skipper Virat Kohli took the charge in the middle. Dhawan ended up scoring 98 and Kohli scored 56 while becoming the fastest to score 10,000 international runs on home soil.  

A late flourish by KL Rahul and debutant Krunal Pandya, who also scored the fastest 50 on debut in ODI, helped the Men in Blue post a mammoth score of 317/5 in 50 overs. For England, Ben Stokes ended up with three wickets while Mark Wood scalped two. 

Chasing 318, England were off to a blistering start as Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow scored 135 in just 14.2 overs. At a time when England were looking comfortable with their chase, Indian bowlers bounced back with a couple of quick wickets and sent Ben Stokes (1), Eoin Morgan (22) and Jos Buttler (2) back to the hut.

Sam Curran and Sam Billings tried to take the game deep but the Indian bowlers found their mojo back as the game approached the last 20 overs. Debutant Prasidh Krishna ended up with four wickets and best figures by an Indian on ODI debut. India were quick to wrap up the tail-enders as they sealed a superb 66 run win in the first ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the series.  

The second ODI between India and England is scheduled for Friday at the same venue.