India’s opening T20 International against England ended without a result after persistent rain forced officials to abandon the match at Chester le Street. Although fans witnessed an entertaining batting display from India, the weather had the final say before England could begin their chase.
One of the biggest talking points before the match was the absence of 15 year old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenage star, who has impressed cricket fans with his remarkable performances in the Indian Premier League, was once again left out of India’s playing eleven. Supporters had hoped to see him make his international debut after his outstanding season for the Rajasthan Royals, where he scored 776 runs, including a century and five half centuries.
After winning the toss, India suffered a difficult start, losing two early wickets with only six runs on the scoreboard. Sanju Samson was dismissed following a brilliant catch by Tom Banton, while Ishan Kishan was run out after a mix up with Abhishek Sharma.
Despite the early setbacks, Abhishek Sharma launched an aggressive counterattack, smashing 59 runs from just 24 balls. His explosive innings shifted the momentum in India’s favour before he was trapped leg before wicket by Sam Curran. Later, captain Shreyas Iyer anchored the innings with an impressive 68 off 47 deliveries, while Shivam Dube remained unbeaten on 42 from 21 balls, helping India finish on a competitive 189 for 7.
Rain continued throughout India’s innings before becoming much heavier during the break. Ground staff quickly covered the pitch, but conditions failed to improve, forcing match officials to call off the game without a single ball being bowled in England’s innings.
The abandoned match also denied Harry Brook’s side an opportunity to bounce back after a disappointing home Test series against New Zealand. The five match England India T20 series will now continue with the second match scheduled to be played at Old Trafford on Saturday.
