The first T20I between England and India was abandoned after rain ruled out the second half of the encounter at Chester-le-Street.

Upon winning the toss and opting to bat first, India racked up 189 for 7, courtesy a glitzy 59 off 24 balls from Abhishek Sharma, accompanied by a top score of 68 from skipper Shreyas Iyer. Saqib Mahmood, on his England comeback, finished with 3 for 33.

Mahmood’s first international wicket in over a year, bowling in the second over, heaped yet more misery on Sanju Samson, whose last three scores for India now read 5, 0, 1. He was caught brilliantly by Tom Banton at backward point. Samson has had a tough first week in the UK. At the end of the same over, Ishan Kishan was run out for the second time in succession and India were reeling at 6 for 2.

But Abhishek Sharma’s 59 off 24 deliveries made up for lost time in the Powerplay. He eventually departed with India placed at 88 for 3 after 8.2 overs. Sam Curran dismissed the 25-year-old LBW with a well-directed leg cutter.

Shreyas had been in Abhishek’s slipstream for a 38-ball stand of 82, and was able to cash in a 50 off 38 balls. Shivam Dube’s 42 at a strike rate of 200 added some much-needed impetus. The target of 190 looked gettable, but the match had to be called off due to heavy rain.

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