XtraTime Web Desk: Indian cricket team have started their tour of England with a bang as they beat the hosts convincingly by 8 wickets in the first T20I of three-match series at the Old Trafford today thanks to brilliant performances by young chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav and centurion KL Rahul.
Earlier after winning the toss India skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bowl first. Proving him right young Kuldeep Yadav broke the backbone of the England batting with his career-best figures of 5 for 24 in 4 overs. Thanks to his brilliant bowling the visitors restricted them to a manageable 159 for 8. He got good support from Umesh Yadav who took 2/21 in his allotted 4 overs.
This was after a solid start provided by in-form openers Jos Buttler (69 off 45 balls) and Jason Roy (30 off 20 balls), who added 50 in the first five overs of Powerplay.
However from a relatively comfortable 95 for 1 in the 12th over, Kuldeep removed rival skipper Eoin Morgan (7), Jonny Bairstow (0) and Joe Root (0) in the 14th over, which prevented England from posting a competitive total on a placid track.
In reply, the Men in Blue reached the target thanks to a brilliant century by KL Rahul (101*). Rahul scored these runs in just 54 deliveries. In this span he hit 10 boundaries and 5 huge sixes as well. After Shikhar Dhawan (4) left cheaply, Rahul joined another opener Rohit Sharma (32) to take the score ahead. After Rohit’s departure India skipper Virat Kohli came to bat and remained not out on 20 along with Rahul. Kohli hit a huge six to seal the deal for the Men in Blue.