Fri Feb 07 03:27:20 UTC 2025: **India Wins First ODI Against England by 4 Wickets**
Nagpur, India – India defeated England by 4 wickets in the first of a three-match ODI series on Thursday. Winning the toss, England elected to bat first but were restricted to 248 runs by a disciplined Indian bowling attack. Ravindra Jadeja and debutant Harshit Rana led the charge, each claiming three wickets. England’s innings was anchored by Jos Buttler (52) and Jacob Bethell (51), with Phil Salt contributing 43 runs.
Chasing 249 for victory, India’s response was initially shaky, losing early wickets. However, Shubman Gill (87 runs off 96 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (59 runs off 36 balls) steadied the ship with crucial partnerships. Axar Patel also played a significant role with a 52-run knock. Despite Gill missing out on a century and a late collapse, India reached the target in 38.4 overs, securing a convincing win. Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmood took two wickets each for England.
The match marked the ODI debuts for India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana. The series holds significant importance for both teams as a warm-up for the upcoming Champions Trophy, starting February 19th. India previously won the T20I series against England 4-1. The absence of Virat Kohli, ruled out due to a knee injury, was notable for the Indian side.
First Piper 