HIGHLIGHTS England vs India, India in England 5 T20I Series 2026, 1st T20- Result, Scorecard

Over and out - Well, that is all from Chester-le-Street then. But worry not, there is still plenty of cricket to come with four T20Is left in this series to look forward to. Let's hope that the weather in Manchester will be a pleasant one as the teams head to Old Trafford for the 2nd T20I, on Saturday, 4th July, 2026. The first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 7 pm IST (1.30 pm GMT). But before that, action will be at its peak at The Oval as the second semifinal of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, 2026 will be played between England Women and South Africa Women. So do tune in for that on Thursday, 2nd July, 2026 at 5.30 pm GMT. Our buildup will begin in advance, though. But from here, we sign off. Take care, cheers!

The chase will definitely be a shortened one now, and with every minute that passes, more overs will be eaten into. And just as we say that, the news no one wanted comes through. THE MATCH HAS BEEN ABANDONED DUE TO RAIN. The players shake hands in the dressing room and that is that. Rain persisted throughout the first innings but the players pushed on through it as it never quite got heavy enough to stop play. Such a shame then that it chose to really come down at the worst possible moment, robbing us of what promised to be a fascinating chase. With the cutoff time still around 40-odd minutes away, there was technically time left on the clock, but the rain showed no intention of stopping either.

12.30 am IST (7 pm GMT) - Nothing new to update. It is still raining out there and the downpour is very steady. We are afraid that we will start to lose overs from hereon. We are still an hour away from the cutoff, but it looks pretty bleak right now. As of now, the covers are firmly placed on the pitch and the squares. The wait continues and so does the race against time...

12.20 am IST (6.50 pm GMT) - Nothing new to report from Durham for now, as it is still raining and there is a forecast for rain right throughout the evening. Also, there isn't a concrete update, but the deadline for the start of a 5-over chase is around 1.30 am IST (8 pm GMT). We will get the latest updates from the ground, so stay tuned.

UPDATE - 12 am IST (6.30 pm GMT) - The rain is still falling, and the covers are firmly in place for now. Also, according to a few sources, it is a proper downpour at the moment. Not good signs, but we have gotten the first innings out of the way, which means there's enough room for a shortened chase, if necessary. For now, let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope that the rain recedes.

A mountain too high? To be fair, there's no mountain too high in T20 cricket, especially for a batting lineup like England's. However, 190 on this ground isn't going to be an easy task and they will need a big Powerplay. India have played three out-and-out spinners, which would have come into play had conditions been a bit dry, but right now, it's not quite clear how they will go about their business. The Indian spinners could make or break the game. Stay tuned as the crucial run chase is up next.

Topsy-turvy from the hosts - Overcast skies and a bit of drizzle - England would have loved to bowl first under cush conditions and they were handed the opportunity to do just that. Saqib Mahmood got the early breakthrough and a run-out gave the hosts the early advantage. However, they lost the plot a bit and a few fumbles in the field didn't help either. The spinners didn't create much opportunties and seemed to be playing a containing role, which didn't work out either. Mahmood was the pick of the bowlers as he got three wickets, but overall, it wasn't England's best effort in the field.

Captain leading from the front - India endured a tough start with the bat yet again, but Abhishek Sharma took off in the Powerplay, notching up a very quick half-century as he put on a stand of 82 with the skipper. Shreyas Iyer looked proactive, pushing for the twos, and eventually, he went on to score 68 off 47 balls. Late on, it was a 21-ball-42 from Shivam Dube that took India to a big total. Anything over 170 seemed like a good total, and 189 will certainly be competitive.

Runs on the board - A solid total posted by India after electing to bat first, but will it be enough? Only time will tell. Also, as the players and the umpires head back, the covers come on, and we might have a bit of a delay at the start of the chase. Let's hope that doesn't happen.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage

Sam Curran to Axar Patel, OUT! AXAR PATEL IS RUN OUT! But what happened there? Curran rolls his fingers on the ball and bowls at 108 kph. It is on a good length and wide of off stump. Axar lets it through to the keeper, thinking it will be a wide, but there is a mix-up in the middle immediately. Dube sets off for a bye, but Axar goes nowhere and then suddenly changes his mind and starts running. Buttler's underarm throw at the batting end goes astray, but Curran is alert, swoops onto the ball on the pitch, runs back to the bowling end and whips the bails off with Axar miles out of his ground. INDIA FINISH ON 189/7! 10 runs from the final over.

The drizzle is coming down heavily now, but we should be able to get through this innings.

Sam Curran to Shivam Dube, Slower and wider outside off, too full. Dube carves it to long off for a single.

Sam Curran to Shivam Dube, SIX! THAT IS OUTTA HERE! Brute force from Dube and he is playing a gem of a knock. Moves to 41 off just 20 balls. Short from Sam on top of off. Shivam Dube picks the slower one and mercilessly pulls it high and handsomely over deep square leg for a mammoth six.

Sam Curran to Axar Patel, Short and following the batter on the leg stump. Axar shuffles to the leg side and is cramped up for space. Can only heave it wide of long on for a single. Axar looks for the second, but Dube sends him back in time.

Sam Curran to Shivam Dube, Straight up the chimney, but PUT DOWN! Buttler shells a chance here. Don't know if the rain in the air played its part. Sam slips in a full toss just below waist height, slower one too. Dube doesn't pick the change of pace and swings hard across the line, gets a thick top edge that balloons away towards backward square leg. Buttler calls for it and he is a bit slow to charge at first as he tries to spot the ball through the slate grey sky. Eventually sprints to his right, gets a dive in and even gets a glove to it, but it pops out.

Sam Curran to Axar Patel, Slower one, full on off. Patel gets under it and carts it down to long off for a single.

Final over coming up. Sam Curran to bowl it.

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, FOUR! Through the gap! Such a lovely shot from Dube. An in-dipper from Rashid, outside off, full in length. Shivam Dube reaches out in front and carves it hard and manages to split the long off and deep cover fielders for a boundary. 14 runs from the penultimate over. 1/39 off 4 overs for Adil as he completes his spell.

Adil Rashid to Axar Patel, Short and outside off. Axar picks the googly and steers it wide of backward point for a single.

Axar Patel walks out to bat at number 8.

Adil Rashid to Harshit Rana, OUT! STUMPED! Deception at its very best from Rashid and he gets the reward for it. Good length googly on leg stump. Rana steps out and looks to swing across the line, getting crouched in the process. He misses to connect and throws himself back into the crease but Buttler collects the ball cleanly close to the leg stump and whips the bails off in one sharp motion. A stumping check as the decision is sent to the third umpire and it confirms that Harshit's bat is in the air as the stumps are broken by the keeper. India are 174/6.

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, Short and on leg, Shivam Dube hangs back and drags it across to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, SIX! In the range and out of the park! A bit quicker from Rashid this time around, full on leg. Shivam Dube clears the front leg and whips it ruthlessly and just manages to clear the deep mid-wicket fence.

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, Pushed through, full on the pads. Shivam Dube gets down to slog it aerially, but gets undone by the flight and dip. Hits it off the inner half and the ball squirts away through mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Adil Rashid to continue and bowl the crucial 19th over.

Saqib Mahmood to Harshit Rana, BEATEN! Back of a length, around off and jagging back in very sharply off the surface. Harshit is cut in half as he dangles the bat away from the body to punch it to the off side. The ball beats the inside edge and bounces back to the keeper. 4-0-33-3 for Saqib Mahmood. FYI, he went for 21 runs in one of his overs, but has made a solid comeback since.

The next batter is Harshit Rana.

Saqib Mahmood to Shreyas Iyer, OUT! LBW! Number 3 for Mahmood as he fishes out the Indian skipper. Saqib fires in a full ball that tails in late, to the leg stump. Shreyas Iyer gets a bit across to play the pick-up shot over mid-wicket, but misses and is hit on the front pad. Given LBW on a confident appeal, but Iyer has opted for a review to challenge the on-field decision. UltraEdge comes up with a flat line and Ball Tracking shows the ball crashing into the leg stump. India lose a review and more importantly, their captain who was looking increasingly dangerous. India are 165/5.

Saqib Mahmood to Shivam Dube, Sharp short ball at 130 kph, Dube swivels and badly mistimes the pull shot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Saqib Mahmood to Shreyas Iyer, Good length ball, angling back on the pads. Shreyas flicks off the inner part of the bat to the fine leg region for a run.

Saqib Mahmood to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Glorious shot! Slower bumper on the stumps, angling across. Iyer picks the length early, gets into a good position before pulling into the deepest pocket at deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Saqib Mahmood to Shivam Dube, Short of a length angled across from outside off. Dube pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, Slowish googly on a length, around off. Dube taps it along the ground to deep extra cover for a single.

Adil Rashid to Shreyas Iyer, Darts on the pads, Shreyas Iyer looks to whip it over square leg, but misses as the ball dips and deflects it to backward square leg for a leg bye.

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, Short and wide outside off. This is punched off the back foot to long off for a single.

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, Just in! Adil spots Dube advancing and fires in the googly, dragging it short and outside off. Dube looks to mow it over mid-wicket but has no idea about the wrong'un and is beaten all ends up. Buttler has to stretch to his left to collect and dislodge the stumps and that extra bit of a second gives Dube just enough time to drag his bat in.

Is that stumped? Seemed to have happened in slow motion and Shivam Dube seems to be safe. The replays that Dube grounded his bat before the bails were dislodged and it will be NOT OUT.

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, SIX! That has been carted down the ground! Serves up a juicy half-volley on the stumps. Dube shimmies down the track and hammers it over the bowler's head and clears the ropes with absolute ease for a six. 150 up for India!

Adil Rashid to Shivam Dube, Dishes out a full ball, on leg. Shivam Dube advances down the track but has no room and flicks it to mid-wicket.

Adil Rashid is back on. Also, the drizzle has started to get pretty heavy now.

Luke Wood to Shreyas Iyer, SIX! Wowza, shot of the match so far! A long half-volley from Wood, outside the off stump. Shreyas Iyer leans onto it completely with a big stride ahead and launches it inside out over the deep extra cover fence, just about clearing the ropes for half a dozen runs. 3 from the first three balls, 11 from the next three. 14 runs from the over.

Luke Wood to Shivam Dube, Fires in a full ball, on middle, Shivam Dube clips it down to widish long on for an easy run.

Luke Wood to Shivam Dube, FOUR! Not well timed, but it's in the gap! Highly likely a slower ball, on a good length, on middle and leg. Shivam Dube mistimes the pull shot off the inner half, and finds the gap at long leg for a boundary.

Luke Wood to Shreyas Iyer, Almost a yorker, on off. Iyer gets under the ball and chips it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for another run. So far, so good from Wood. Just 3 off the first three balls.

Luke Wood to Shivam Dube, Short and at pace, outside off. Dube stands tall and powerfully pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Luke Wood to Shreyas Iyer, Slower full ball, on middle. Shreyas Iyer gets across to flick it to the leg side, but closes the bat early. Gets a leading edge and the ball rolls past cover for a single.

Liam Dawson to Shivam Dube, Much fuller, wide outside off, Shivam Dube lunges forward and extends his arms to slap it away. The ball connects with the toe end of the bat and loops toward the deep cover region. Jacob Bethell rushes to his right to collect the ball and the batter gets a brace.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, Fuller on off, Shreyas Iyer sensibly drives it to long on for a single.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Crunched away! Short around off, Shreyas Iyer presses back and punches it hard through the point region. Jordan Cox runs and dives to his left to cut it off, but the ball deflects off the hand and seeps through to the fence.

Liam Dawson to Shivam Dube, A touch short and around off. Dube stands tall and swats it over the mid-wicket fielder. Jordan Cox runs to his right from deep square leg and tidies it up. Just a single.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, FIFTY FOR IYER! Certainly a captain's innings from Shreyas Iyer. Fuller delivery, on off, Shreyas Iyer drives it to long off for a single and gets to his first half-century as the skipper of India. Overall, this is his 9th T20I fifty and he gets there in 38 balls. A very well-constructed knock and he will look to bat through the innings.

Liam Dawson to Shivam Dube, Flatter and fuller, on middle. Shivam Dube leans on and clips it along the turf to long on for an easy run.

Another bowling change, as Liam Dawson is brought back into the attack.

Saqib Mahmood to Shreyas Iyer, Full-length delivery, just outside off, Shreyas Iyer drives it to the cover fielder.

Saqib Mahmood to Shivam Dube, On a back of a length, nipping from leg to middle. Dube opens the bat face and steers it wide of extra cover for a single.

Shivam Dube is in next.

Saqib Mahmood to Tilak Varma, OUT! TAKEN NICELY! Saqib gets his second wicket and that brings the budding 36-run stand to an end. Not a wicket-taking delivery from Mahmood as he slips in a full toss searching a yorker. Tilak Varma shuffles across off to play the scoop shot, but does not time it well. Tries to clear short fine leg, but Liam Dawson moves a bit to his right and times the leap to complete the catch over his head. Tilak was just threatening to switch gears but it wasn't to be. India are 124/4.

Saqib Mahmood to Shreyas Iyer, Short and slow, outside off. Shreyas Iyer waits back, and plays the pull shot to deep square leg and gets to the other end.

Saqib Mahmood to Tilak Varma, Overpitched, pitching it just outside off, angling away. Tilak Varma drills it to long off for one.

Saqib Mahmood to Shreyas Iyer, Short of a length, on middle. Shreyas Iyer moves across in the crease and whips it to deep square leg for an easy single.

Saqib Mahmood (2-0-22-1) is back on. India looking on course to score 200-plus runs at the moment.

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, Pitches it fuller again, around the pads, Shreyas Iyer clips it to deep backward square leg for one.

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Tickled behind! Loosener from Curran. Full on the leg stump. Shreyas Iyer uses the pace and helps it through the gap between short fine leg and the keeper for a boundary. Easy pickings for the Indian skipper, who closes in to his half ton.

Sam Curran to Tilak Varma, A moon ball now from Curran, on middle. Tilak Varma pushes it to long on for one.

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, Pitched on a length, outside leg. Shreyas Iyer gets inside the line and steers it to deep backward square leg for a single. Shreyas moves to 42 (32).

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, WIDE! Short of a length, outside off. Iyer lets it through as the ball flies over his head. Wide for height.

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, Much fuller, around the middle stump. Shreyas Iyer walks across the crease and flicks it aggressively toward the gap between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket to get a brace.

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, Nagging length, around off, Iyer hangs back and punches it hard to cover.

Will Jacks to Tilak Varma, Decision upheld! Tossed up and drifted into the batter, full in length. Tilak Varma tries the reverse sweep but the ball seems to have missed the bat or the glove before he is hit on the front pad. Jacks appeals confidently for LBW, but the umpire denies. England eventually go upstairs for a review, but UltraEdge confirms a clear spike when the ball is next to Varma's glove. England lose a review.

Not the loudest of appeals to begin with, but Will Jacks seems interested. Harry Brook does go upstairs to check an LBW call, but UltraEdge quickly shows that it brushed the gloves. Not Out, and England lose a review as well.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, Length ball, on the stumps, staying low. Iyer rocks back and whips it wide of deep square leg for a single.

Will Jacks to Tilak Varma, Just outside off, a touch fuller, on off, Tilak Varma makes room and punches it through cover for one.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, Short and outside off. Shreyas Iyer rocks back quickly and cuts it to deep point for a single.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, Direct hit at the bowling end! But looks like Tilak is safe. Yes, he is. Full ball on off stump, 85 kph. Iyer gets forward and flicks it down to deep mid-wicket and sets off for two. Cox picks up quickly and fires a flat throw to the bowler's end, Jacks gets out of the way and the ball crashes into the stumps. Loud appeal for a run out and the umpires send it upstairs for a review. The replays roll in and it is desperately close, but Tilak just manages to slide the bat in the crease before the stumps are hit.

Will Jacks to Tilak Varma, Steps out and heaves the full ball along the ground to the deep mid-wicket pocket for a single.

Adil Rashid to Tilak Varma, Fuller, offering a lot of flight on it, outside off. Tilak Varma gets down on one knee and sweeps it to deep square leg for one.

Adil Rashid to Tilak Varma, FOUR! But a fantastic effort from Banton. Dropped fuller and on off. Tilak gets down on a knee and slogs it between long on and deep mid-wicket. Tom Banton from the former position almost runs a mile and slides to his left to flick the ball in, but he fails to do so in the first attempt and the ball keeps trickling along with him. He tries to haul the ball with his left hand, but his right elbow is in contact with the ropes and it is deemed a four.

Adil Rashid to Tilak Varma, Sharp fielding! On a nagging length, outside off, Tilak Varma punches it from his back foot toward cover. The extra cover fielder moves to his right, fields it, and throws it at the striker's end in one go.

Adil Rashid to Shreyas Iyer, Dishes out a loopy leg break, full and around off. Shreyas Iyer drills it down to long off for a single. And with that, 100 comes up for India!

Adil Rashid to Shreyas Iyer, A tad fuller, outside off, Shreyas Iyer hangs back, crouches low and cuts it, but straight to the point fielder.

Adil Rashid to Shreyas Iyer, Fuller on off, Iyer gets forward and carts it back to the bowler. Adil dives to his left on the follow-through and makes a good stop.

DRINKS BREAK! India did lose Abhishek Sharma but he helped India to recover massively through his blitz. But England have managed to wrestle back some control in the last two overs, conceding just 12 runs. But given a torrid start, India are still in a decent position to launch in the second half and with Shreyas Iyer well set at one end, they will look to keep the foot down. Adil Rashid (1-0-11-0) is back on after the hydration break.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, Floated and fullish, just outside the off pole. Shreyas Iyer prods and pushes it to long off to rotate the strike.

Liam Dawson to Tilak Varma, Dawson again tries to drive it into the surface. Short and angled well across off, stays a bit low as well. Varma drags it down to long on for just another single.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, Pitches it up, does Dawson, on middle, Shreyas Iyer hangs back and clips it to deep square leg for one.

Liam Dawson to Tilak Varma, Bowled into the pitch, angled across off, Varma rocks back and swats it across to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Change of bat and gloves for Tilak Varma. He lost his balance while completing the second run on 9.1 and fell hard on the ground. He picks another bat, puts on the fresh pair of gloves and is ready to continue.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, Fuller, on off, Shreyas Iyer opens his stance and pulls it along the carpet to deep mid-wicket for one.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, Floated up on middle and leg, Iyer lunges and flicks it through mid-wicket. He calls for two right away and gets it as well. Tilak Varma trips over as he makes his ground at the bowler's end.

Fantastic over from Curran. He mixed up his pace really well and got a big reward too. Change of ends for Liam Dawson (1-0-9-0). He replaces Will Jacks.

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, Around the pads this time, on a fuller length. Shreyas Iyer rolls his wrists and clips it to deep square leg to take a single. An excellent start from Sam Curran. A wicket and just five runs from his first over.

Sam Curran to Tilak Varma, Good-length delivery, angling into the legs, flicked behind square leg for one more.

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, A slower one from Curran, on middle and off. Shreyas Iyer drives it to long off and gets a single.

Sam Curran to Tilak Varma, A skiddy bumper now, dug it towards the front shoulder. Tilak Varma gets hurried and gloves the pull down to fine leg for one.

A breathless 82-run partnership is broken as Curran accounts for Abhishek. The change of pace works for Sam. Tilak Varma is in at number 5.

Sam Curran to Abhishek Sharma, OUT! LBW! Oh, a huge appeal for LBW, but turned down. Harry Brook has reviewed it. A skiddy leg-cutter from Sam Curran at 107 kph, on a three-quarter length around middle, darting back in. Abhishek Sharma gets caught on the back foot and plays all around it, getting pinged on the back pad. The third umpire checks UltraEdge first and there's no spike. Ball Tracking comes up with three reds and the decision is reversed. England rejoice as the high-flying Abhishek Sharma is sent back to the pavilion. India are 88/3.

Sam Curran to Shreyas Iyer, Bowled around the hips, worked away down to long leg for a single by Iyer.

India got off to a very nervy start but are now motoring really nicely. And here's the third pacer for England. Sam Curran replaces Adil Rashid.

Will Jacks to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! KABOOM! Right into the slot, on off, Abhishek Sharma loads his arms, clears out his front foot and launches it downtown for half a dozen. Another big over for the Men in Blues. 15 runs coming off it. 26 from the last 2 overs for India.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, Tossed up on off, Iyer leans ahead and strokes it down to long on for a run.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! The skipper is putting up a show now! Short, angling it across the right-hander. Shreyas Iyer goes deep into the crease, and cuts it late and along the ground to beat the backward point fielder to his right for four more runs.

Will Jacks to Abhishek Sharma, Flighted ball, on off and middle, cut away past point for a single.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, Tossed up, outside off, Shreyas Iyer lunges and drives it through cover for a single.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, Two is the call again from Iyer and another misfield allows him to make it with ease. You can hear Iyer pushing Sharma for the extra run, even when Sharma isn't keen on it. Shorter on the pads, worked away off the back foot to deep square leg for a brace.

Adil Rashid to Abhishek Sharma, Short, outside off, Abhishek Sharma punches it toward the left of the deep cover fielder and collects a couple of runs.

Adil Rashid to Shreyas Iyer, Short, darted into leg, Iyer hops back, opens the stance and pulls it behind square leg for a single.

Adil Rashid to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Into the gap! A tad shorter, outside off, Shreyas Iyer goes back and swats it into the vast gap between long on and deep mid-wicket for four runs.

Adil Rashid to Shreyas Iyer, Tossed up, very full and on middle. Iyer clips it through mid-wicket and looks for two right away. Sharma doesn't want it and Iyer isn't pleased but the fumble from the fielder in the deep does allow them to come back for the second run anyway. The outfield is a bit greasy at the moment.

Adil Rashid to Abhishek Sharma, FIFTY for Abhishek Sharma! In just 20 balls. Despite a shaky start from the team, the 25-year-old stays strong and has notched his 11th T20I half-century. He looks in no mood to slow down and has carted the ball at will so far. A touch fuller, outside off, Abhishek Sharma works it to mid-wicket and gets a single.

Adil Rashid to Shreyas Iyer, Bowled from in front of the hand, flatter and into the pads, worked away in front of mid-wicket for one.

India's Powerplay without a doubt. They have recovered pretty well. 6/2 in the first 2 overs, followed by 55/0 in the next 4. Adil Rashid is brought into the attack now as the field spreads. He replaces Luke Wood.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, A touch fuller, just outside off, Shreyas Iyer rocks back and nudges it to the right of mid-wicket for a single. 9 runs coming from the over.

Will Jacks to Abhishek Sharma, Fuller one drifted into the leg stump, Sharma clears the front leg and drives it down to long off for a single.

Will Jacks to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Oh, what a shot that is! A touch fuller, well outside off, turning a bit away. Abhishek Sharma rocks back and heaves it across the line toward deep mid-wicket for four runs.

Will Jacks to Abhishek Sharma, Lovely bit of flight on offer. Slower through the air and on a length on off stump, Sharma lets it come on and just defends it to the off side.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, Short, on off, Shreyas Iyer rocks back and punches it to wide of mid off for a single.

Will Jacks to Shreyas Iyer, Dragged shorter to begin with, Iyer works it away towards deep mid-wicket and picks up a couple of easy runs.

37 runs from the last 2 overs. This has been a brilliant counterattack from Abhishek. Will Jacks will bowl the last over of the Powerplay, replacing Saqib Mahmood.

Luke Wood to Shreyas Iyer, Back of a length, around off, dabbed away through covers for a run.

Luke Wood to Abhishek Sharma, Top, top effort in the deep. Banged in short over middle, Sharma stands tall and nails the pull through mid-wicket. Phil Salt runs to his right from deep square leg and dives in, back-flicking the ball to save a run for his side. 50 up for India. In just 4.5 overs.

Luke Wood to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Abhishek Sharma is clearing the in-field without a fuss right now. Hard length around the top of off, Sharma slams it flat over mid off and the ball dribbles away to the fence.

It has started to drizzle out there. But it is not heavy enough right now so the play continues.

Luke Wood to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Nearly an action replay of the last ball and Abhishek Sharma is on a roll. Back of a length, trying to angle it into the batter. Sharma backs away a fair bit this time and forces it up and over backward point for another boundary. He's raced to 37 off just 14 balls.

Luke Wood to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Carved away for another boundary. On the shorter side again, enough room on offer outside off, Sharma backs away and slashes it over backward point for four more runs.

Luke Wood to Abhishek Sharma, Just short of a good length, around off, Sharma makes room and slaps it down to mid off. Not much timing on it.

A momentum-changing over for India. Saqib was all over the shop and paid the price. Luke Wood is brought back on. 1-0-5-0 so far. He replaces Liam Dawson.

Saqib Mahmood to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! Short and wide outside off, Shreyas Iyer stays back, moves past the off stump and cuts it well behind point for his first boundary. 21 off the over, a big one for India.

Saqib Mahmood to Abhishek Sharma, A bit fuller now, on the pads, worked away through square leg for a single. 17 off the over with one ball to go.

Saqib Mahmood to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! A tweak in line from Mahmood, but it makes no difference. Just not short enough, around off, Sharma hangs back and hoicks it high over deep mid-wicket for a maximum, his third one already.

Saqib Mahmood to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! That's flown into the crowd. On the shorter side again, on middle and leg. Abhishek Sharma picks it early and pummels the pull just behind deep square leg for a biggie.

Saqib Mahmood to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! That's a real hit-me ball. A misdirected short ball down the leg side, Abhishek Sharma swivels around and pulls it over short fine leg for a boundary.

Saqib Mahmood to Abhishek Sharma, Back of a length, on a tight line around off, Sharma hangs back and punches it out to covers.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, A bit slower, floated up on off, Iyer pushes it out into the off side. Tidy stuff from Dawson and England.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, Flatter on middle and leg, worked away off the back foot to mid-wicket.

Liam Dawson to Abhishek Sharma, A bit of hesitation yet again! Fired in on the pads, tucked down to short fine leg for a single, eventually.

Good intent from Abhishek Sharma as he moves to double figures.

Liam Dawson to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! That's a superb shot! Tossed up, full and angled across off, Abhishek Sharma backs away and lifts it inside-out ove extra cover and the ball just about clears the ropes.

Liam Dawson to Shreyas Iyer, Floated up full on off, driven down to long off for a single.

Liam Dawson to Abhishek Sharma, Nearly another run out! Liam Dawson darts it in short on the pads, Sharma tucks it between mid on and mid-wicket and picks up a single. Shreyas Iyer is eager for the second run, but Sharma rightfully sends him back.

A needless run out and just like that, India are rocked early. Captain Shreyas Iyer comes in at number 4. Also, Liam Dawson is introduced into the attack, replacing Luke Wood.

Saqib Mahmood to Ishan Kishan, OUT! KISHAN IS RUN OUT! Disaster for India. Length ball from Mahmood, Ishan Kishan just pushes it down to mid on and sets off for the single. Abhishek Sharma sends him back and Kishan is scampering to save his life. Harry Brook throws it to the keeper as Kishan brings out the dive. Jos Buttler whips off the bails and replays confirm that the batter is short of his crease. Kishan is absolutely fuming as he walks back. India are 6/2 after 2 overs.

Is Kishan run out? A complete mix-up between the two batters. And Kishan looks in danger here. Buttler whips the bails quickly and is very confident that Ishan is short of his crease. And he is, indeed.

Saqib Mahmood to Ishan Kishan, Back of a length, straighter in line, Ishan Kishan tucks it across to mid-wicket.

England strike early. It looked like the ball held on the surface a touch. As mentioned, conditions are perfect for seamers right now. Ishan Kishan is in at number 3.

Saqib Mahmood to Sanju Samson, OUT! CAUGHT! Top catch, and Sanju Samson's sluggish run continues. Saqib Mahmood hammers it on a good length and a bit wide outside off. Samson drives away from the body and fails to control it. The ball goes off the outer half of the blade and quickly to the right of backward point, where Tom Banton springs across and takes a one-handed blinder. India are 6/1 already.

Saqib Mahmood to Sanju Samson, Hard length in the channel, doesn't get up much after bouncing. Samson hangs back and opens the bat face, guiding it to cover-point.

Saqib Mahmood to Sanju Samson, WIDE! A hint of shape but too wide for the umpire's liking. Fullish delivery wide outside off, goes further away. Samson throws his bat at it but can't connect.

Saqib Mahmood to Sanju Samson, Mahmood hits the deck hard and bowls it shorter outside off, Sanju Samson looks to smack it off the back foot but mistimes it badly towards cover.

Saqib Mahmood to Sanju Samson, Driven well, but even better fielding from Tom Banton. Full-length ball on off, Samson punches the drive square on the off side but Banton dives to his left and keeps it to a dot.

Decent start for both sides. Wood got a little bit of movement to begin with. Will there be swing from the other end as well? Saqib Mahmood will bowl from the opposite end. A slip in place for Samson.

Luke Wood to Abhishek Sharma, Tidy start from Wood, barring that boundary. Pitched up full, on off and middle, Sharma goes after it but miscues it off the inside half of the bat to mid on. India are 5/0 after one.

Luke Wood to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Up and running in style! Overpitched delivery, slightly wide outside off, Abhishek Sharma collapses the back knee and drives it in the air and through the cover region for the first boundary of the contest.

Luke Wood to Abhishek Sharma, On a good length and in the channel, good bounce off the pitch. Abhishek Sharma watchfully defends.

Luke Wood to Sanju Samson, Samson and India are underway! A lot fuller on off, shaping back in, driven between mid off and extra cover for a single.

Luke Wood to Sanju Samson, Back of a length, keeps it around the off stump, slides right on. Samson hops back and punches it down to cover.

Luke Wood to Sanju Samson, On the money! Wood pitches the ball full on off, just a hint of swing into the right-hander. Sanju Samson gets a good stride forward and blocks it to covers.

Righto, all in readiness for this five-match T20I series to get rolling in Durham. The umpires are out in the middle. Harry Brook leads his troops out as the English players spread across the park to take their fielding spots. And now comes the Indian opening pair - Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. It's windy out there with overcast skies. The weatherman winks at the seamers. And it will be Luke Wood to bowl the first over. Samson will take the strike. And we have a slight delay right away. Probably it is an issue regarding the sightscreen. Right, just about ready. Here we go...

Unpacking the toss - England stuck to their habit of naming their XI a day out and have come in with three seamers and three specialist spin options. They have a full-strength squad. India, though, have taken a different route, and a bit surprising as well. No Sooryavanshi, firstly, and they have picked just two frontline pacers in Harshit and Arshdeep despite the overhead conditions, with Dube offering only slow medium pace as a third seam option. Batting first made complete sense given that combination, with three spinners in the side, you want the pitch to have 20 overs of wear on it before they come into the attack.

England (Playing XI) - Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (WK), Harry Brook (C), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood, and Saqib Mahmood.

India (Playing XI) - Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakaravarthy.

The skipper of England - Harry Brook says that they would have bowled first if they had won the toss, so it's not a bad toss to lose. On the mood in camp and adapting to the T20 format, Brook says the atmosphere is really positive and the group is excited to get going against a strong Indian side. He adds it is good to be back with the lads, and notes that switching between formats quickly is simply part of the job as a cricketer. On the wealth of experience in the squad, Brook says it is a great resource to have, particularly mid-game when he can lean on the likes of Jos Buttler and Sam Curran for input and guidance. On the team combination, Brook confirms Buttler and Phil Salt will open, with himself coming in at three, Jacob Bethell at four, Banton at five, Curran at six, Jacks at seven, Dawson at eight, and Rashid, Saqib Mahmood and Luke Wood rounding out the lower order at nine, ten and eleven.

The captain of India - Shreyas Iyer says this is a great opportunity for them and this is the second series for him as the captain, so he is very excited. Shares that they had a session of practice to acclimatise yesterday. On the dressing room mood following the Ireland series, Iyer says things are absolutely fine. He admits that there were lessons to take away from that campaign but says the group has moved on, knows how England have been playing their cricket of late, and comes in with a clear picture of the opposition's strengths and weaknesses. On the pitch, Iyer notes there is a decent covering of grass on the surface and says the team got a look at it in the nets yesterday. He admits it is difficult to predict exactly how it will play, but says the intent from the batters will be high regardless. About the team combination, he informs that they are going with three spinners, including Axar as the all-rounder and a couple of seamers.

TOSS - Toss time in Durham. Harry Brook and Shreyas Iyer are out there in the middle. Iyer calls correctly. India will BAT first.

The road to the future - Given that there is an ODI World Cup to be played next year and the T20 World Cup just concluded a few months ago, but given that the T20 World Cup is played every two years, there is always a plan to set up a side that will be playing. Not just the T20 World Cup, but there's the Olympics as well in 2028 and this series will give both teams a good gauge of what tweaks they have to make in order to put their best foot forward. Also, it is the first time India will be playing a T20I game at this venue, and it should be an exciting watch. Stay tuned for the toss and team news.

England's favorite format - England, playing in front of a home crowd under the leadership of Harry Brook, will look to capitalize on India's shaky momentum right from the first ball. The seam-friendly conditions typical of Chester-le-Street, especially under potentially overcast skies, will provide a stern test for the Indian top order. Having rested Jofra Archer for the first couple of games, it will be interesting to see how their pace attack performs.

When will the new era begin? For India, this series opener serves as an immediate and crucial opportunity for redemption following a shocking 0-2 series defeat against Ireland. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the visitors are under immense pressure to adapt quickly to English conditions and prove that their recent stumble was merely a glitch in the matrix rather than a sign of systemic vulnerability in their shortest-format setup. Also, the elephant in the room, which is whether Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets a debut or not, remains the question on everyone's mind and we shall find that out soon enough.

The Three Lions vs Men in Blue - Hello, and a warm welcome to one and all to our coverage. The highly anticipated five-match T20I series between England and India kicks off at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street, marking the beginning of an intense white-ball tour. England move from a tough Test series against New Zealand to the white-ball formats, whereas India come into this clash on the back of an unexpected demolition by the hands of Ireland.

... MATCH DAY ...

Back at it - The dust has barely settled on England's Test series defeat to New Zealand, but such is the modern cricket calendar that there is little time to dwell on setbacks. Reflection is important, but so is making the transition and treating each format separately. For England, the focus now shifts to white-ball cricket as India arrive for a five-match T20I series followed by three ODIs. India, too, have a setback of their own to put behind them after being humbled by Ireland in a 2-0 T20I series sweep. It all gets underway in Chester-le-Street, with Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol and Southampton hosting the remaining four T20Is. Fresh start - This will be England's first T20I assignment since their semifinal exit at the World Cup, where they fell to India despite Jacob Bethell's heroics. The squad is not too different from the one that featured at the tournament, with Harry Brook continuing at the helm. Following the backing of the now-retired Ben Stokes, Brook is also viewed by many as a leading candidate to succeed him as England's next Test captain. Top order in focus - Jos Buttler endured a World Cup to forget, managing just 87 runs in 8 innings, but he rediscovered his touch in the IPL, scoring 526 runs in 17 innings for the Gujarat Titans as they finished runners-up. England will hope he carries that form into the international season. His opening partner, Phil Salt, had his involvement in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's successful IPL campaign cut short by a finger injury but is now fit and raring to go. England's batting depth is further strengthened by Tom Banton and Jordan Cox, both of whom can contribute with the bat and behind the stumps. New blood in the squad - James Coles has earned his maiden international call-up. The left-arm spin bowling all-rounder has been knocking on the door with consistent performances in county and franchise cricket, and his rise was underlined when the 21-year-old became the most expensive signing at this year's Hundred auction. Strength in depth - England are blessed with several all-rounders capable of contributing in both disciplines, with Sam Curran providing the seam-bowling option. Adil Rashid will once again spearhead the spin department, with the likes of Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed and Liam Dawson can contribute with both bat and ball. Pace options galore - Following his ODI debut last year and Test debut during the recently concluded New Zealand series, Sonny Baker is in line for a T20I debut. Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Josh Tongue and Luke Wood bring plenty of experience to the pace attack, but with Tongue having featured in all three Tests and Archer in two, workload management could come into play. That may well open the door for Baker to make his T20I bow in the series opener. India search for answers - It has been an inauspicious start to the Shreyas Iyer era. A 2-0 defeat in Ireland was not the beginning they would have envisioned, but England offers the perfect opportunity to hit the reset button. The bowling unit held its own in Ireland, but it was India's much-vaunted batting that failed to fire on slower surfaces. The conditions in England are expected to be far truer for batting, something the visitors will welcome with open arms. The same squad that travelled to Ireland has made the trip to England, although Varun Chakaravarthy is expected to join the group subject to fitness clearance. His return would add further depth to a spin department that boasts Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. Batters must deliver - Much of the build-up to the Ireland series centred around the possibility of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi making his international debut, but the team management opted for continuity and stuck with the top three that had brought success at the World Cup. With five T20Is to play, it remains to be seen whether India continue with that formula or use the series to experiment with their batting combination. Pace with responsibility - In the absence of Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah and even Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh is the most experienced seamer in the squad. Prince Yadav impressed on debut, while Harshit Rana looked sharp on his return from injury. India will also hope for a stronger showing from Prasidh Krishna as the pace attack looks to be more consistent against an England batting line-up brimming with firepower. Team form (Last 5 completed T20Is, recent first) - ENG - LWWWW | IND - LLWWW. What do the numbers say? India have enjoyed the upper hand over England in T20Is, winning 18 of the 30 meetings between the two sides. England, though, have held a slight edge at home, leading 5-4 in T20Is played in England. Recent history, however, has firmly belonged to India, who have won each of the last five bilateral T20I series between the two teams since 2017. Conditions in focus - 4 Vitality Blast Men's matches have been played at Chester-le-Street this season, with three won by the chasing side. The average first-innings score of just 143 suggests batting has not been easy here in recent weeks. It will be interesting to see how that stacks up against two teams who pride themselves on an aggressive, no-holds-barred approach with the bat. Who are you backing to take the lead in the series?