The China Mail - Pandya fires first T20 fifty for India to set England tricky target

In the opening game of the three-match series, Pandya powered to his 50 off 30 balls.

The 28-year-old hit six fours and one towering six off Matt Parkinson before being dismissed for 51.

Pandya's fireworks came after Suryakumar Yadav (39) and Deepak Hooda (33) had set the tone with some flamboyant shots of their own.

India captain Rohit Sharma, back in the side after recovering from Covid-19, had won the toss and elected to bat first as the tourists looked to bounce back from their stunning Test loss to England earlier this week.

England had routed India by seven wickets in the fifth Test as Ben Stokes' side authored the highest Test run chase in their history.

That victory was England's fourth in a row under Stokes and new red-ball coach Brendon McCullum, with their astonishingly successful start inspired by a daring committment to aggressive strokeplay.

With the Test team on a well-earned break, Jos Buttler took charge of England for the first time since replacing Eoin Morgan as the country's limited overs skipper.

Buttler, working alongside newly-appointed head coach Matthew Mott, has the T20 World Cup looming in October, as well as the defence of England's 50-over World Cup title in 2023.

Insisting England would be "really aggressive and not afraid of failure", Buttler was following the template laid out by Stokes and McCullum.

India have plenty of bold batsmen themselves and Rohit and Ishan Kishan took 20 off the first two overs.

Moeen Alli refused to be cowed and he had Rohit caught by Buttler for 24.

Hooda responded by blasting two consecutive sixes off Moeen, but the spinner hit back to remove Kishan for eight.

Hooda scored 104 from 57 balls against Ireland last week and he was back in the groove with 16 off one Reece Topley over.

On 33 from 17 balls, Hooda was threatening to put India in complete control, but Chris Jordan's slower ball dismissed him before he could cause any more damage.

Yadav's 19-ball onslaught, featuring four boundaries and two sixes, ensured India's run-rate raced past 10 an over before he fell caught behind off Jordan after a review.

Jordan returned an excellent two for 23 from his four overs.

Having finally reached fifty in his 62nd match and 43rd innings, Pandya holed out on the boundary off Topley.

E.Lau--ThChM