New Delhi:
Skipper Virat Kohli smashed a majestic 122 while Kedar Jadhav conjured up a career-best 120 before India's lower middle-order held nerves to pull off an incredible three-wicket win over England in the first One-day International.
Kohli and Jadhav rattled up a sensational 200-run partnership for the fifth wicket to set up the platform after England set the hosts a stiff 351-run target. Chips were down for India after losing four wickets for just 63 runs but Kohli and Jadhav scripted a comeback with their gritty batting as Mahendra Singh Dhoni (6) and Yuvraj Singh (15) could not contribute much in the chase.
India required 60 runs from the last 10 overs after the fall of both Kohli and Jadhav but Hardik Pandya ensured that their good work does not go waste with his responsible unbeaten 40-run innings.
Pandya saw Ravindra Jadeja losing his wicket in the 45th over but the young all-rounder kept his cool to steer India to the finish line. He hit a six off Adil Rashid to level the scores and R Ashwin finished it in style, hammering Moeen Ali into the stands in the first ball of the 49th over. India have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the next match scheduled in Cuttack on January 19.
England had feasted on a listless Indian bowling to pile up 350 for seven, their highest total in ODIs against India with Joe Root (78), opener Jason Roy (73) and Ben Stokes (62) striking half-centuries.
The score bettered the 338 for eight made by England in the tied encounter of the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru but today's effort proved insufficient.
Live Score: India vs England live cricket score
India vs England, 1st ODI, Pune
Match Updates:
# Kedar Jadhav - Man of the Match
# Moeen Ali to Ashwin, SIX, they have done it. India win, leveling their second-highest chase in ODIs ever. Ashwin frees his arms and swings India to a 1-0 lead.. with a maximum over deep mid-wicket!
# J Ball to K Jadhav, out Caught by Stokes!! Now Jadhav goes. Pulls a short ball straight to deep square leg. K Jadhav c Stokes b J Ball 120(76) [4s-12 6s-4]
# Stokes to Kohli, out Caught by Willey!! He's gone. But he's played an innings that has India on the brink, nearly. Kohli c Willey b Stokes 122(105) [4s-8 6s-5]
# Woakes to K Jadhav, FOUR, of all the ODI India players of late, he's been the most subtle of them all. A 65-ball hundred for Kedar Jadhav.
# Woakes to Kohli, SIX, oh Kohli, you beauty! Gets to his 27th ODI hundred with a salivating shot.
# Adil Rashid to K Jadhav, FOUR, 150-run stand up! India still need 136.
# Moeen Ali to K Jadhav, 1 run, fifty for Jadhav. First for him in ODIs. He has a hundred to his name. And it has come at a quicker rate than Roy's or Stokes's, off 29 balls.
# Adil Rashid to Kohli, 2 runs, fifty for Kohli. A raise of the bat to the dugout and then to the crowd.
# Ball to Dhoni, OUT, There is a morgue-like silence at the ground. MS Dhoni c Willey b Ball 6 (6b 1x4 0x6)
# Stokes to Yuvraj, out Caught by Buttler!! Cruel way to get out.
# Willey to Rahul, out Bowled!! Pin-drop silence in Pune. India in trouble early. Rahul b Willey 8(18) [4s-1]
# Willey to Dhawan, out Caught by Moeen Ali!! Mo Ali takes it on the third attempt.
#England set up daunting target of 351 runs for India
#Moeen Ali bowled by Umesh yadav, he scored 28 of 17 balls
# Bumrah to Stokes, out Caught by U Yadav!! Short ball and angled across, Stokes looked to pull but manages to mistime it up in the air and is taken.Stokes c U Yadav b Bumrah 62(40)
#U Yadav to Stokes, no ball, SIX, this high full toss problem is turning out to be an epidemic. Stokes arched back and steered it over the third man fence for a six.
#England lose 5th wicket, Bumrah scalps Joe Root
#Hardik Pandya dents England's progress, removes Jos Butler
#England pile on the runs as Joe Root completes his half century
#England lose third wicket, Pandya removes England skipper Eoin Morgan
#England skipper Eoin Morgan joins Joe Root at the crease
#Dangerman Jason Roy departs. Dhoni stumps him off Jadeja's bowling
#Roy and Root help England register 100 on the board
#Roy brings up a quickfire century
#Roy power England to a flier
# England lose first wicket, Hales run out
# England off to a brisk start
# Pandya shares new ball with U Yadav
# Umesh Yadav has the new ball in his hand
# Alex Hales and Roy come out to open for England
