India responded to their T20I series whitewash with a commanding six-wicket victory over England in the opening ODI at Edgbaston on Monday. Chasing 259, the visitors reached 262/4 in 45.2 overs with 28 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

 

Captain Shubman Gill laid the platform with 80 off 75 balls before retiring hurt. Washington Sundar (52* off 63) and Axar Patel (57* off 52) then stitched an unbeaten 102-run partnership for the fifth wicket to complete the chase. Shreyas Iyer added 35, while India also benefited from 21 extras, including 20 wides.

 

Earlier, Axar starred with the ball as well, returning figures of 4/62 in 9.5 overs. Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar claimed two wickets each, while Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube picked up one apiece to restrict England to 258.

 

Read also: Axar Patel Creates History, Joins Ravindra Jadeja in Elite India ODI List in IND vs ENG 1st ODI

 

Root and Dawson rescue England after collapse

 

Asked to bat first, England made a steady start through Ben Duckett (43) and Jacob Bethell (14), who added 61 runs for the opening wicket. However, the innings unravelled quickly after Gurnoor Brar removed both openers in the same over.

 

Harry Brook, Jos Buttler and Sam Curran fell cheaply as England slipped from 61 without loss to 80 for six. Joe Root held one end together with an unbeaten 76 off 76 deliveries, striking six fours and a six.

 

Liam Dawson produced the counterattack with 68 from 83 balls. The pair added 121 runs for the seventh wicket to revive England's innings before Axar dismissed Dawson. England eventually folded for 258 in 47.5 overs after losing their last four wickets for 30 runs.

 

Gill's start, Axar-Washi finish the chase

 

India lost Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (5) inside the first nine overs but Gill steadied the innings. He struck 11 fours and a six during his 80 before retiring hurt at 149/2 after reaching his fifty in 51 balls.

 

Iyer's 35 helped India move past the halfway stage before his run-out and KL Rahul's dismissal briefly gave England hope at 160/4.

 

That proved to be England's final success. Washington and Axar controlled the chase with an unbroken century stand. Axar reached his fifty in just 39 balls, while Washington brought up his half-century off 63 deliveries. Their partnership guided India home comfortably, sealing victory with more than four overs remaining.