Abhishek, Iyer shine before rain forces no result in First T20I

Half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, and a brisk 42 not out off 21 by Shivam Dube stood out in a weather-hit opening T20I in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday (July 1) that ultimately yielded no result.

A light drizzle lingered through much of India's innings after they opted to bat, but the visitors still managed 189 for 7, with Abhishek blasting 59 off 24 and Shreyas making a composed 68 off 47. The showers, however, intensified during the innings break and never relented, preventing England's chase from getting underway.

It was a quiet start for India, especially for Sanju Samson, who was unable to find the gaps and eventually fell for a seven-ball 1, slicing a catch to backward point off Saqib Mahmood in the second over. In the same over, a mix-up resulted in the run-out of Ishan Kishan for a duck, with Abhishek Sharma turning down a single after the No.3 played the ball to mid on.

Abhishek, who had struck a four over cover in the opening over off Luke Wood, preferred the same region to get the first six of the match, off Liam Dawson. He also pulled Mahmood for a four and two sixes, with Shreyas Iyer also getting his first boundary in the 21-run over. A hat-trick of fours for Abhishek off Wood followed, and he also struck a boundary off Will Jacks in the final over of the Powerplay. From 15 for 2 after three overs, India accelerated to 61 for 2 after six overs.

Abhishek raced to a 20-ball fifty, the quickest for India against England in T20Is. Shreyas then got a four each off Rashid and Jacks while Abhishek flat-batted one straight over Jacks' head for his fourth six. The left-hander, however, was out leg-before to a leg-cutter from Sam Curran, with England using a review successfully.

Only five came in Curran's over while Dawson conceded seven in the next as India moved to 99 for 3 after 10 overs. There was a quiet phase before Tilak Varma and Shreyas found the fence, while England also burned a review. Tilak, however, fell to Mahmood trying to play a scoop, departing for a run-a-ball 13. Shreyas then got to his first fifty as T20I captain, with India moving to 135 for 4 after 15 overs.

The 16th over, bowled by Wood, yielded 14 runs with Shivam Dube getting a boundary and Shreyas carving a lovely drive over cover for a six. India crossed 150 as Dube launched Rashid for a straight six and Shreyas followed with a boundary off Mahmood, even as the drizzle intensified. Shreyas fell soon after, lbw to Mahmood, with a review failing to save the Indian captain.

Dube struck a six off Rashid but Harshit Rana, promoted up the order, was stumped in the same over. Dube ended the over with a drive through cover for a four and was dropped by Buttler off Curran in the last over. He pulled Curran for a six as India finished just short of 190, even as the covers came on during the innings break with the rain getting heavier.

Phil Salt, who jarred his shoulder while attempting to stop a boundary, spent the final 15 overs of India's innings off the field. But any question over his availability became academic as the weather had the final say. With conditions showing no signs of improving after the cutoff time for a reduced-overs match passed, the umpires called off the match after a lengthy delay.