1st ODI: India thrash England by 66 runs, go 1-0 up

Pune, March 23 (IANS): India beat England by 66 runs runs in the first One-day International with debutants all-rounder Krunal Pandya (58 not out off 31 balls) and speedster M. Prasidh Krishna (4/54) playing key roles with bat and ball here on Tuesday.

India made 317/5 wickets in their allotted 50 overs while England were bowled out for 251 in 42.1 overs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

Both Krunal and Krishna set records, with the former scoring the fastest half-century in ODIs and the latter recording best figures by an Indian on ODI debut.

After Krunal, the older of the Pandya brothers, had powered to a 26-ball half-century and put up an unbeaten 112-run stand with KL Rahul (62 not out, 4x4s, 4x6s) to put India in the driver's seat, right-arm Karnataka pacer Krishna shrugged off early nerve to provide India the breakthrough to bring them back in the match.

Before Krishna's strikes, England opener Jonny Bairstow (94 off 66 balls) had put India under the pump. Bairstow added 135 with Jason Roy (46 off 35 balls) for the first wicket in just over 14 overs. Krishna got rid of Roy and Ben Stokes (1) to help India get back.

Shardul Thakur (3/37) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/30) were the other two main wicket-takers as India ran through the England middle and lower orders without much problem.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan had laid the platform for a big total with his 98 off 106 balls (11x4s, 2x6s). Dhawan stitched a 105-run partnership with skipper Virat Kohli (56 off 60 balls, 6x4s) to help India reach the 150-run mark in the 29th over.

England, who won the toss and elected to field, bowled tight but failed to get an early breakthrough as Dhawan and Rohit Sharma (28 off 42 balls) added 64 runs in 15 overs. After Sharma's dismissal, Kohli joined hands with Dhawan to put India in a commanding position.

However, Kohli's dismissal at the start of the 33rd over put the skids on the Indian innings, as they lost three more wickets in quick succession to slip to 205 for five wickets in the 41st over.

Things looked down but Krunal turned it around with Rahul. With the two at crease, India reached 250 at the end of the 45th over and then got 67 more in the last five overs to finish the innings with a flourish.