Iyer Creates History, Match Abandoned

The opening T20I between India and England at Durham was abandoned due to persistent rain, but Indian captain Shreyas Iyer achieved a historic milestone. Iyer became the first Indian captain to score a T20I half-century on English soil. Leading the side from the front, he scored a composed 68 off 48 balls, registering his maiden international T20I fifty as captain. He also surpassed Virat Kohli to record the highest individual T20I score by an Indian captain in England.

India found themselves in trouble after losing two early wickets for just six runs. However, Iyer steadied the innings with valuable support from Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 59 off 27 balls. Their 82-run partnership revived the innings before Shivam Dube remained unbeaten on 42, helping India post 189/7. Continuous rain prevented England from beginning their chase, forcing the match to be abandoned. Despite the washout, Iyer's return to form was a major positive for India ahead of the second T20I.