Thu Feb 06 18:41:23 UTC 2025: ## India Clinches ODI Series Opener Against England with Iyer’s Match-Winning Performance
**EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA** – India stormed to a 4-wicket victory over England in the first ODI of their series today, with Shreyas Iyer playing a pivotal role in the win despite initially being slated to sit out the match. Iyer’s explosive half-century steered India to victory with 68 balls to spare, chasing down a relatively modest target. The win sees India take a 1-0 lead in the series. Captain Rohit Sharma also praised the spin bowling options, indicating that Varun is “definitely in contention” for the upcoming Champions Trophy. The match was further notable for Virat Kohli’s absence due to injury. Elsewhere in the cricketing world, there were wins for Hong Kong (7 wickets, 80 balls remaining) and Warriorz (6 wickets, 7 balls remaining). Zimbabwe, meanwhile, trails by 188 runs at the end of day one against an unspecified opponent, while Sri Lanka chose to bat first in another ongoing match.
First Piper 