India wins first ODI against England by 6 wickets in Birmingham

India has made a victorious start in the three-match ODI series against England. Chasing a target of 259 runs set by England, India scored 262 runs in 45.2 overs, losing 4 wickets, to secure a comfortable 6-wicket win.

The second match of the series will be held on July 16 in Cardiff. In the match held in Birmingham, England won the toss and opted to bat first, scoring 258 runs before being all out in 47.5 overs.

For England, Joe Root was the top scorer with 76 runs. Besides him, Liam Dawson played a half-century innings of 68 runs. Opener Ben Duckett scored 43 runs, Will Jacks made 20, and Jacob Bethell added 14 runs.

India’s all-rounder Axar Patel, who was the hero of the victory, took 4 wickets. He also played an unbeaten innings of 57 runs, showcasing an excellent half-century.

Similarly, captain Shubman Gill scored 80 runs, while Washington Sundar remained unbeaten on 52 runs. India’s start was not promising as Rohit Sharma was out for 11 runs and Virat Kohli for 5, putting the team under pressure. However, captain Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer stabilized the innings with a 101-run partnership for the third wicket.

Iyer scored 35 runs. Gill made 80 runs off 75 balls but had to retire hurt due to cramps. Soon after, Shreyas was run out, and KL Rahul was bowled for just 1 run, leaving India at 160 runs with 4 wickets down.

After losing four wickets, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar took charge of India’s innings. They forged an unbeaten 102-run partnership for the fifth wicket, leading the team to victory. Axar scored an unbeaten 57 runs off 52 balls, while Washington added an unbeaten 52 runs off 63 balls. Washington completed his half-century with a winning six.