Shreyas Iyer’s wait for first win as Indian skipper extends after Durham T20I expires

ENG vs IND, 1st T20I: Match called off due to rain at Durham due to rain. India (189/7 in 20 overs). Shreyas (68), Abhishek (59).

Highlights | Scorecard

Rain had the last word as the opening T20I between India and England at the Riverside Ground in Durham on Wednesday was abandoned without a ball bowled in England’s chase, despite impressive knocks from Abhishek Sharma and Shreyas Iyer.

The washout also meant that Shreyas Iyer is still looking for his first win as India’s T20I captain. After starting his tenure with a 0-2 series defeat to Lorcan Tucker’s Ireland, the skipper was hoping to kick off England’s series with a win before the weather intervened.

India posted a competitive 189 for 7 after being asked to bat, with Abhishek blasting 59 off 24 balls and Iyer anchoring the innings with a smooth 68. Shivam Dube’s late cameo provided the final momentum while Saqib Mahmood was England’s standout bowler with three wickets.

ABHISHEK, IYER POWER OF INDIA

Abhishek continued his rich form with a breathtaking attack and shifted gears spectacularly in the power play. The left-hander attacked Saqib Mahmood in the fourth over and smashed two towering sixes and a boundary in 21 runs, shifting the momentum firmly in India’s favour.

During his explosive strike, he also became the fastest batsman to hit 100 sixes in T20 Internationalswhich will eclipse Evin Lewis’ record of West Indies.

Iyer, meanwhile, tapped the skipper, turning the strike smartly before accelerating through the middle overs to keep England’s bowlers under sustained pressure.

Dube then provided the finishing touches with some clean hitting at the death, although Mahmood and the experienced Adil Rashid pulled things back with disciplined spells to prevent India from crossing the 200-run mark.

RAIN HAS THE LAST WORD

England never got a chance to start the chase as persistent rain continued to lash Durham. The umpires waited until 21:00 local cut-off time for a possible five-over match, with England’s revised DLS target set at 64. The target would rise to 74 in six overs, 85 in seven and 94 in eight overs.

However, the weather showed no sign of letting up and the players eventually emerged to shake hands as the match was officially over.

England also had an injury scare after Phil Salt sprained his shoulder while fielding, although the hosts later confirmed it was an outside knock and the opener would be fit to bat.

With the series getting off to an anti-climactic start, both teams will now turn their attention to the second T20I at Old Trafford in Manchester on July 4, with four matches remaining to decide the winner.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

02 Jul 2026 02:05 IST