India have levelled Pakistan's dominant T20I record in Karachi after their cakewalk win over England

India outclassed England in the first T20I at Eden Gardens in Kolkata to equal a major record of Pakistan in T20 cricket. Abhishek Sharma's blistering knock of 79 powered India to a seven-wicket win over England while chasing a mediocre score of 133.

India have levelled Pakistan's dominant T20I record in Karachi after their cakewalk win over England in the first T20I at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Led by Abhishek Sharma's blistering knock of 79 from 34 balls, the Men in Blue steamrolled the Three Lions after chasing down 133 inside 12.5 overs with seven wickets in hand.

The Indian team has been dominant at Eden Gardens, having lost only one match out of their eight outings at the venue. They have been unbeaten at the Kolkata-based venue from the last nine years. 

This was their seventh consecutive win at Eden Gardens, which bring them equal to Pakistan's record of seven successive wins at National Stadium in Karachi. The winning streak began in 2016 and is still one after nine years. Meanwhile, Pakistan's streak lasted for 13 years from 2008 to 2021. 

The overall record is held by England, who have eight successive wins in Cardiff from 2010-21. They began their streak with a win against Pakistan in 2010 and ended when South Africa defeated them in 2022. India's winning streak at Eden Gardens started with their win over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2016 and is continuing currently.

Coming back to the match, Abhishek's 79 made light work of a mediocre 133-run target in the opening T20I of the five-match series. While most of the other batters found it hard on what seemed like a two-paced surface, Abhishek kept playing his strokes freely. He hit eight sixes and five boundaries and perished while going big in the end. 

By then India needed only eight runs. Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya completed the chase with pretty ease.

Earlier, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy had set up the perfect platform with their bowling. Arshdeep removed both the openers in his first two overs, before Chakravarthy came to the party to remove the middle-order. Chakravarthy picked 3/23, while Arshdeep took 2/17 in their respective four overs. 

Suryakumar Yadav had won the toss and had opted to field first. Mohammed Shami, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana and Dhruv Jurel missed out with India going for only one proper pace option in Arshdeep Singh.